A Trick Up His Sleeve
by Koomahana
Summary: He had seen her observing them calmly; she had seen him watching them closely. His curiosity went too far, now he can't get too close without a Jonin interrupting or an Anbu team showing up. just how is he supposed to the answers to his questions if everyone keeps getting in his way?
1. Chapter 1

**A trick up his sleeve**

Chapter one: unexpected meetings

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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He had seen her that day, silent as she observed his siblings, silent as her teammate shouted at his siblings... and speaking up only after her second teammate showed up, speaking up to show that she wasn't as scared as she looked. It didn't work out so well in her favor; her voice squeaked just a little too high when she addressed them. He turned and studied her, curious but not obviously so, he let his sister speak to her, he answered the question applied to him and returned the favor. He left soon after words, leaving a trail of his sand behind to listen in and then later let it clue itself to her feet where she wouldn't notice it.

He was silent as he listened to what his sand re-laid to him, telling him her name and age and rank and then telling him that she had been entered into the examine that he was in. He stayed in his room, silent as he listened to his siblings speak softly and to his sand as it laid out the quickest directions to her location. That night when his siblings and teacher slept, his teacher didn't do it often so he had to be quick, Gaara left the hotel and followed his sand's instructions; careful not to let anyone see him and suppressing his chakra while he ran.

Her window was open, letting in the cool breeze, he slipped in, careful not to make a noise. Her room was strange, it was by far the smallest he had ever been in, holding only her closet, desk and bed—nothing else. It was strange, the small room didn't scream 'girl' like his sister's and it didn't scream 'boy' like his brother's. The walls were pale cream without a single poster or even a picture; the desk looked as if it was made from hundreds of different books instead of the oak he had in the hotel or the sandal wood of his home land; even her closet showed few outfits: six crimson red dresses (the same ones that he saw her in earlier that day), three crimson shirts, two black vests, three navy blue shirts and at the bottom of her closet was a pair of combat boots, heels, her blue sandals and several pairs of folded up black pants. So she could dress like a real kunochi she just chose not too. Turning to look at the girl, he saw that she had a few drawers beneath her bed; he guessed that's where she kept her more personal items.

He wasn't that far off, the first drawer he opened held seven different kunai pouches and back pouches, each seemed to be filled slightly differently then the next. The next held her more advanced weapons such as her explosive tags and ninja wire. The third drawer held several different kinds of what he guessed to be under shirts, they were so small they could barley cover her essentials, and similar looking things to what Kankuro once teased Temari with, calling them 'bra's or something like that. After that incident, Temari beat Kankuro so bad that he never entered Temari's room again; he even went so far as to use his puppets to knock on her door when he needed something from her.

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"Hmm," Sakura opened her eyes tiredly, expecting to see the green of her alarm clock that rested on her desk, instead she found herself staring into surprised jade. Thinking nothing of it, Sakura rolled over and went back to bed, feeling her bed shift slightly Sakura's eyes snapped open

_Wait a moment_, she spun around into a sitting position, her eyes wide and searching for the anomaly. But nothing was wrong, everything was the same: her clock read ten thirty, her closet was still open, her books were in place, her papers were unruffled her window was still slightly ajar... her window was open to far and her closet shouldn't be open. Turning Sakura fumbled for her desk light and quickly pressed it on, her eyes locked on her closet doors at the end of her bed. The light flashed on... Sakura sighed as she saw that nothing was even wrong with her closet, it was still closed.

_Must have been the lighting,_ Sakura sighed as she flipped her light back off and stood from her bed, rising to close her window. _Must have been the wind..._ She settled back into bed, pulling her blankets over her bare chest closed her eyes, letting sleep over take her once again. All the while, never seeing the pair of eyes peek out from the other side of her closet.

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Gaara stepped out softly, letting his sand coat the floor to keep his steps silent, he stared down at her with curiosity, wondering if he should just leave now that he had his questions answered. He looked out the window and saw that it was a full moon, making the demon sealed into him stir at the sight of it but it was different this time, it wasn't asking for blood or even violence... it was asking for... asking for something else...

Gaara felt his eyes drop to the girl sleeping in the bed next to where he was standing at her window, curious about the feeling in his stomach he stepped towards her, not realizing that his sand was drawing her curtains closed as he went. He leaned over her, she shifted uncomfortably and Gaara found himself doing a familiar set of hand signs, his hand brushing against her temple just as her eyes opened sleepily. He backed away, hiding once more in the shadows of her room, hoping she didn't see him.

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_She opened her eyes to the soft darkness of her room, turning she stared curiously up at the brown ceiling, lifting herself from the large bed she saw that she wasn't in her room, she was in a much larger one with hardly anything personal in it for the exception of lots of pictures that decorated the walls. She wasn't alarmed, for some reason she felt rather safe. She stood from the bed, letting silken sheets slide off her as she turned to face the large window beside the bed._

_Outside the window showed an unfamiliar sight, rounded roofs of distant buildings she's never seen and a high wall beyond them and an unfamiliar night sky beyond that. Yet it was her reflection that she stared at, it wasn't the same reflection she was used to seeing. Her reflection was older, seeming to be taller and not as pale as she was used to seeing and she feel something soft and ticklish brush at the top of waist, she ducked her head and found that it was just her long hair, hair she didn't know could be so long. She giggled softly as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her from behind, they were strong and familiar, yet she couldn't see the man holding her nor see the face that rested on her shoulder._

"_..." he murmured in her ear, making her giggle as he pulled her back from the glass, towards the bed and silken sheets._

"_Play with me" She whispered, turning her face enough to press a kiss to his crimson temple, "Play with me..." she gasped as she felt his hand dip between her thighs, his other tightened around her mid section, pinning her arms in place and keeping her standing as he abided her request._

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He had been surprised when he realized that she wasn't wearing anything beneath the covers of her sheets but that didn't seem to stop her from rising a second time, looking out her window in curiosity and affection. He had stepped forward and told her to go back to bed but she smiled and murmured those words to him, he didn't understand but his body did.

Gaara panted against her neck, his arm tightening against her where he held her arms down while his other slid between her thighs, flirting with her folds. Yes the familiar jutsu he cast upon her was one of the only two Genjutsu's he knew of, this one that she was under made her think she was in a dream, she was attuned to him, more exceptive and affectionate, seeing him as someone truly precious to her; that was what made the genjutsu so effective, in this state she would do anything he asked of her.

She arched into him, pressing her bare chest against his arm that she clutched to, her legs widening slightly to give him more room and her head dipping back to rest on his shoulder with a sleepy smile. He had thought about just leaving her, he knew what he was doing was wrong, but he couldn't make his body do what he wanted anymore—it was under the influence of the moon, her murmurs and the thing in his body prompting him to obey her wishes.

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_She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips, she could feel his lower member press against her back so she arched into him teasingly; she moaned as he bit her shoulder in punishment, he didn't like being teased._

"_Please" She whispered to him, her fingers reaching behind her in search of his belt buckle, "Please..."_

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He fell back words, his sand cushioning his fall as the pinkette followed him, looking up at him with sleepy-unseeing green eyes. Her hand ghosted across the bulge of his pants, a smile on her sleepy features as she leaned in close, her lips seeking his. He had told her to go to bed, not sleep with him, what was he supposed to do with her sitting in his lap and her hands traveling to places they shouldn't be traveling? He clasp hold of her wrists, pulling them away from his pants but she ducked forward and pressed her lips to his, shocking him enough to loosen his hold on her.

"Please" she whispered, pushing against him as she lifted a leg to wrap around his waist, pulling him closer to herself, "please..." if things didn't stop or change then he was going to end up doing something really stupid and she would most certainly remember it in the morning. Struggling to control his breath he formed another set of familiar hand signs, these ones coming much more naturally to him then the previous set, she giggled and ducked under his moving hands, pressing her lips to his again. Gulping he pressed his hands to her sides, making her gasp into his mouth and push him further back into his pile of sand.

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_She smiled as he pushed her away slightly, twisting her to lay with her back against the smooth sheets of the bed, lifting her legs to wrap around his bare chest as he pushed his own pants down. His lips trailed down her jaw, her throat, settled on her breasts... trailed down her stomach, she whined and clasped his chin with her hand pulling him up to lock lips with him. He grumbled and pulled the sheets over them, shifting to get a better angle on her, he slowly pressed his member to her, careful not to hurt her._

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He gritted his teeth, hands tightening on her hips, she was tighter then he was expecting, but it seemed like the second genjutsu worked. He ran his hand down her right leg, flitting to the inside towards her center, her hand followed him on her left, searching for the hand she thought was there. He thought it was curious when he fought against his assassins, performing the small genjutsu on them, making them think their right arm was crushed when it was their left. That was the point of the strange illusion, everything they felt happened on the opposite side that it actually happened on. So logically if he did something to her back she'd think it was to her front, so far he hadn't gotten any complaints from her.

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_She panted as he moved above her, pressing hesitantly and driving her nuts as a result, "Harder" she murmured, arching towards him "harder."_

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She clenched around him, her soft murmurings prompting him to stop sitting where he was pressed against her. Gritting his teeth and running his hand up her front, until it rested at the base of her neck, taking a deep breath and adjusting his hold with his other hand; he pushed himself into her completely and covered her mouth before she could make any noise.

Yes, if she was getting her way then it would hurt her and he would have to wait for her to get used to the feel of him in her, but this way she was getting what she wanted, he was abiding her soft whispers and they were both feeling the pain of the experience. He stopped and pressed his forehead against her shoulder blades, waiting for her to loosen around him so he could move and get it over with; this wasn't what he came here for...

But now, he couldn't remember why he came to her, what was he so curious about?

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_It hurt, a hole lot more then she was expecting, but his lips were on hers, smothering her startled scream. She wanted him to keep moving she pulled her legs up and over, pressing them against his back and drew him further in but he wasn't moving. Panting as he finally let go of her mouth, she blinked blurry up at him, a smile twisting her features as she realized that he was waiting for her to do something._

"_I'm ready," she murmured, laying her head back and curling her fingers into his short red locks, "again..."_

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He panted against her, waiting for her to loosen her hold on him; he didn't like having to sit on his knees with her in his lap with her own hands pressed into the sand covered floor, keeping her from making any scratches. She took deep steady breathes, calming herself as she stretched out in front of him, pressing further against him as she stretched her fingers out towards the wall between her desk and bed, forehead brushing against the sand. He moved slightly, drawing back just enough to extract himself from her; she whimpered and backed up, searching for his member again. He sighed and straightened her on her knees, rising to his own, he readying himself, taking in deep breathes before he forced her back onto himself earning a gasp and siring pain as she tightened around him again.

"Damn it girl," Gaara grumbled, reaching forward and wrapping an arm around her chest, bring her back flush with his chest. She gasped she was forced to rise against him, his member still in her as he sat back, pulling her back with him and spreading her legs widely, settling her right foot atop her bed and pushing her left knee cap against the floor towards the wall.

"Loosen up" Gaara ordered, one glowing hand reached between her thighs, "I'll punish you if you don't." He wasn't expecting her to chuckle at him, a smirk playing on her lips as she turned to him, sleepy emerald sparkling at him challengingly. He hissed as she flexed her mussels around him, glaring at her, he swept his glowing palm forward and let his fingers enter her folds, quickly slamming his other hand against her mouth when he thought she was going to shout. He didn't let his fingers go to deeply, he let his chakra flow in instead, making her whimper softly, her hip rolling to meet his hand and loosen up on his member from behind.

He sighed in relief; his fingers straightening to be more relaxed inside of her, his chakra explored her inside, brushing against her barrier and making her tense again. He chuckled and kissed her neck, his fingers going further in until her folds brushed at his knuckles, she was tense, her body reflexively flexing around his member in pain and his fingers warningly.

"I warned you" he murmured, his other hand brushing against her back, knowing that in her mind it would be her breast that he was teasing. His chakra fluttered against her barrier, making her whimper and tighten on him, he panted as he closed his eyes in concentration. He didn't want to break _it_, he had to make sure that she wouldn't remember this in the morning and doing something like that would definitely make her remember. So he made the flap of skin just a little more tender, not easily broken but not rock hard either, he pulled out his hand and felt her relax against him, her head lolling against his shoulder. His remaining chakra would guard her, if she gave it to anyone else it would be uncomfortable and painful—for both parties—but she wasn't the type to just anyone get so close to her. He pushed her knees together and pushed her up enough to be sitting on them, he turned her and let her upper body flop against her bed but she didn't let go of him like he was expecting.

"Please" she murmured, glancing back at him with teary eyes, "Finish" she begged, rubbing against him meaningfully, "finish... please..." it was tempting to just leave her there, it was already pressing at eleven thirty, but she pushed again, as if she intended to push him back until she sat him again.

"No" he said firmly, clasping her hips and glaring at her, understanding what she meant in that moment.

"P-please?" she asked, panting as she tried to press against him again, "please?"

"That's not how the game works," he whispered into her ear, letting one hand sweep forward to fondle her chest, "I run the show," he smirked as he forced himself back into her, earning a surprised gasp. He moved against her repeatedly after that, losing himself in the action of pumping against her and earning her gasps when he went to fast or when he went to hard and made her body thump against the frame of her bed harshly or her head against the sandy wall (he didn't need her parents coming in to see what was going on). Several times throughout the night, he had to cover her mouth, keeping her from crying out or giving that startled shout she made when he caught her off guard. When he looked at the clock again, it was early morning and his sensei would be awake soon, the thought made him stiffen, making her gasp at his suddenly tight hold.

"Wh-wha—" Gaara stopped her stammering by locking lips with her, he picked her up and gently laid her belly down in her bed.

"Until next time," he whispered against her lips, giving one last push before he knocked her out.

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**Okay so not only is this really embarrassing for me but it's also my first 'M' rated story... well technically it's my second but this one... this one was detailed...**

**Yeah I wasn't sure if I should have posted it, please tell me if it was okay, if it's too OOC... I don't know what I'd do then, I pretty much figured that it was **_**really**_** OOC**

**I was actually hoping it'd end up being a simple One shot but it didn't work out that way...**

**Please review my confidence with this one is... is actually pretty low... like in the negatives...**

**Page 8**


	2. Chapter 2

**A trick up his sleeve**

Chapter 2: first round

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

…

When Sakura awoke at six-thirty, she found her room to be warmer then it should have been, especially since her window was still ajar. Sighing softly, Sakura moved and flinched at the pain that racked up her entire body taking her breath and bringing tears to her eyes. Gasping softly, Sakura tired to make her room stop spinning, lifting her blankets Sakura glared down at her bloody legs.

_Figures_, Sakura sighed, gently pulling her soiled blankets up with her as she stood shakily. _Now I have to take a shower,_ She knew she should have worn a pad last night, now she had bloody blankets to deal with. She gently pulled her fluffy robe over her shoulders and tied it in place; she then gathered up her bloody sheets and put them in her hamper.

_It hurt, a whole lot more then she was expecting it to_

_What a strange dream_, she thought flinching as she straightened and rubbed at her belly absent mindedly as she searched for her bathrooms supplies. Giving up Sakura gathered her baskets and hurried out of her room, closing her door as she hurried to the laundry room.

"_Harder" she murmured, "harder."_

Sakura sighed at the memory of her dream, it wasn't the first time she's had such dreams but it was the first time that she dreamed of being all grown up with a grown man over her instead of being in her child-body and having a make-out session with Sasuke. She stuffed her blankets into the washer and set it on high, putting extra soap in and letting it run, she then quickly hurried up the stairs in search of anything that shouldn't be one the floor.

"_I'm ready," she murmured, laying her head back and curling her fingers into his short red locks, "again..."_

Sighing Sakura hurried into her room, quickly gathering her bathroom supplies that escaped her earlier and hurried back out into the hall and into the bathroom; even closing the door on her mother's sleepy and bewildered face.

"_Ha~, ha~, d-don't st-stop..."_

Sakura locked the door and stripped, trying to ignore the aches and pains in her body as she walked for the shower and turned it on, as hot as it would go.

"_Loosen up" he ordered, "I'll punish you if you don't."_

She shifted uncomfortably before the shower, her fingers twitching and dancing against her thigh, a sudden pain arched through her body, making her grip at the wall and ride out the wave desperately.

"_I warned you," he murmured_

She stepped into the shower, flinching at the hot temperature but let it run over her body anyways, she lost herself in the flash backs of her dream, not paying attention where she scrubbed

"_Finish" she begged, rubbing against him meaningfully, "finish... please..."_

Sakura flinched as her fingers ran across the tender skin between her legs; she looked down and sighed at the new wave of blood that spiraled down the drain. The last thing she needed was to take the chunin examine while on her period, she'd have to take extra care not to let it show.

"_That's not how the game works," he whispered into her ear, "I run the show,"_

Another bust of pain erupted over her body, making her gasp and lean against the wall of the shower, surprised that this wave didn't come from below her belly like the others. Her world fogged over and she could almost see the man in her dream, his eyes dark as he worked behind her, pushing and pulling against her straining body until she gave up and gave him total control, gasping at the lightheaded feeling of him moving freely inside of her.

"_Until next time," he whispered against her lips_

She felt it then that hard push gave to her from behind, she wasn't sure how she felt about that. She didn't think that most couples went for that kind of... kind of style? Her world was still hazy, she could still feel his fingers running over her skin, teasing her entrance and brushing against her small bust.

It was such a strange dream but not an unfamiliar dream, it wasn't new but at the same time it was. She's never had one that felt so real or left her feeling so tiered after words, lifting her hand Sakura stiffened slightly at the finger like bruises that rested on her upper arms. Some of her more normal dreams left some bruises here and there, as her family was prone to 'dream bruises', but she's never had any that were that shade of yellow. She turned so that the still hot water beat down on her back and bent slightly, examining her legs carefully. Slowly her fingers danced over the faint bruises on her hips, noting how they were slightly larger then her own fingers, so long as she didn't have any more bruises then she was deeming the dream as nothing more then a dream.

"Sakura?" her mother called through the bathroom door, startling Sakura into realizing that her water was now cold like ice, how long has she been examining her bruises? "Sweet-heart, are you awake in there?"

"Give me a moment" Sakura answered her, coughing Sakura realized that her voice was weak so she tried again. "I'm almost done!"

"...Alright" Sakura sighed as her mother left, turning slightly Sakura quickly lathered up her hair, then scrubbed at her body until it was red, then shaved and then finally washed the shampoo from her hair. Stepping out of the icy shower Sakura quickly wrapped her hair and dried her body, she then lined her underwear and wrapped her rob around herself tightly.

"_Play with me" She whispered, turning her face enough to press a kiss to his crimson temple, "Play with me..." she gasped as she felt his hand dip between her thighs, his other tightened around her mid section, pinning her arms in place and keeping her standing as he abided her request._

She gasped as a thrust of pain surprised her, making her double over and lean against the door gasping for breath with wide eyes. According to the dream she asked, _begged,_ for the man's attention and affection... he merely complied with her wishes. It was a strange dream, not like the others she's had in the past but not unfamiliar either. Straightening Sakura left the bathroom and hurried back into her room, searching for her normal attire. Sakura opened her closet, screamed, slammed the doors shut, grabbed her nearest kunai set, reopened her closet and started throwing her kunai knifes at anything that so much as twitched in her closet.

"S-Sakura?" she turned with a furious look towards her open door, staring irate at her mother who stood there with wide eyes. "Wha-what happened? Why'd you scream?"

"That" Sakura hissed, pointing at the now dead nest of what appeared to be a small family of mice, "They decided to move in here."

"... Our neighbor's mess?" she asked with a slight flinch, now knowing that she wasn't hearing things in her walls.

"Please do something about him," Sakura asked, slamming her closet doors closed with gritted teeth. "His damned _pets_ just ate ninety percent of my clothes!"

"So... wear something else," her mother suggested with a smile, "You are a kunochi now, perhaps it's time—"

"I'm not wearing _those_ shirts," Sakura snapped out with a glare at her mother, surprisingly they were the only clothing the mice _didn't_ tear into or at least didn't have enough time to do so.

"Language young lady" her mother glared right back, her body stiff and her eyes narrowed "and just so you know _I_ wore those shirts when _I_ was your age."

"That's my point"

_THWACK_

"Wear the bloody clothes or go to the examine butt-ass naked," her mother ordered, turning and walking out of Sakura's room and slamming her door closed while she was at it.

"Sure you can curse but heaven forbid that I do," Sakura grumbled, glaring irritated at the closed door. Sighing Sakura turned to see if she had anything lying around her room; to her surprise, she found a small stack of clothes, her gear and a pair of boots on her desk. She saw that it wasn't her normal outfit and immanently dismissed it, turning instead to her dirty laundry basket and the clock that sat right above it.

_Great,_ Sakura thought with a glare at her clock that now read seven O' clock; she had twenty minutes to get to the academy or risk being late and possibly being disqualified as a result. She glanced at the laid out outfit and glared hatefully at it, she marched over and set out the articles carefully. Okay so the shirt wasn't half-bad, it was a simple crimson kimono top with long bell sleeves and a black belt with a crimson cord. She'd still have to wear her spandex shorts but that wasn't really the problem, the problem was the long shinobi pants that were as old as her mother... well they were hammy-downs, guess she should have expected that one.

_If I'm wearing that shirt, I'm wearing the damned skirt,_ Sakura thought with a sigh, turning and marching out of her room. "Mom! I need to barrow your old skirt!"

"Which one honey?"

"The one Daddy made!"

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He was getting irritated waiting for her, she should have arrived by now...

If she didn't show up soon she'd be disqualified and he wanted to know if she would wear the clothes he picked out for her.

Was it a good thing that he found those mice and put them in her closet?

What if they got into the other clothes instead of the ones he already shredded?

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"Whoa~ Sakura-chan what happened?" Naruto asked when he caught sight of Sakura, her face twisted into a glare and she forced a bag into his hands.

"My neighbor's _pets_" she said the word as if it was an ugly curse "Decided to pay my closet a visit. I had to borrow a few of my mom's old clothes, which is the reason behind your bags" Sakura held Sasuke's bag out to him expectantly. "If I have to change my wardrobe then so do you two. These clothes may be old but they're useful, my grandmother hand stitched the seals in them and mom and I already filled them with kunai and shiriken."

"Why do we have to change—"

"Because if you two don't get into the nearest bathroom and change," Sakura held up a picture of Naruto and Sasuke, both pale and horrified as they stared at each other "I'm selling that picture I have of you two kissing—" Sasuke snatched the picture and promptly tore it apart and lit on fire, "I have copies" Sakura grinned at Sasuke

"We're going Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted out, looking incredibly pale "We'll change, promise! Just don't sell them!"

"Good" Sakura nodded her head expectantly "I tried to make sure your clothes were in the proper colors that you like but I don't think all of them will fit you, so don't feel too bad if they don't. Just pick out the pants and one of the shirts, you should do fine"

"Umm Sakura you forgot something" Sasuke said, looking at his own outfit with a twitching eyebrow

"Oh yeah, sorry Sasuke but we didn't have anything with the Uchiha crest and there was no way I could hand stitched it on your shirt, there wasn't enough time." Sakura dug in her back pocket and held her fist out to him, "I got this from an old friend, sorry but I'll have to do. Besides it'd be a great advantage if people didn't know you where the last Uchiha, they'll underestimate you and end up giving you the upper hand instead of throwing everything they've got at you."

Sasuke's brow twitched a few times but he followed Naruto into the academy and to the nearest bathroom they could find. Five minutes later, they both stepped out, new clothes on and surprisingly enough, they were both feeling... what was it called?

"I feel bad ass!" Naruto shouted out with a grin and bouncing in front of Sakura where she leaned against the wall beside the bathrooms.

"You both look good," Sakura agreed with a smile, "Naruto... for once you actually look cute." Naruto's face went about twenty shades of red, "and Sasuke... you look grown up... almost like a man."

"_Almost_" Naruto snickered out, his grin not falling even after Sasuke's hand collided with the back of his head. "But you know Teme, you don't look like an Uchiha without that crest... Sakura-chan might be right, that crest would make everyone on edge around you."

"That's right, every little bit of doubt is a plus for us," Sakura smiled and lifted off the wall, letting one hand sit on her hip, "Now come on you guys, we'll be late if we don't hurry."

"But what about our old clothes?" Naruto asked as he hurried after Sakura with his bag of clothes in hand,

"We'll give them to the receptionist," Sakura said, stopping at the front desk of the academy, "Hay Aunty could you do me a favor?" Sakura asked, smiling at the blonde woman who turned around in the chair to face her

"Sakura-chan!" The woman shouted, leaping from her chair and leaning over the desk to wrap her arms around Sakura's neck laughing loudly, "Oh~ child you've grown!"

"Aunty it's been five months!" Sakura chuckled,

"But your out fit makes you look so grown up" the woman sighed, releasing Sakura and looking her up and down with a proud smile. "That's your mother's old outfit, they fit you a whole lot better then they ever did her. I think she wore them like once and... And you boys are so _Cu~te_!" Sasuke stepped back just in time to avoid the strange woman's lunge, Naruto wasn't so lucky. Sasuke smirked as the blonde boy was smothered in the older blonde's chest, her tight hold on his neck doing more damage then her smothering

"Aunty these are my teammates," Sakura chuckled, grinning at Naruto's redder then normal face as he struggled to breathe in her Aunts tight hug. "I just gave them a new outfit and now we don't have a place to set their clothes until after the examine."

"Oh~ is my cute little niece in this year's chunin examine?" the woman asked, loosening her hold on Naruto so he could breathe, "If that's the case I have a gift for you!" Naruto gasped for breath as the woman let go of him and dived under her desk giggling like a mad woman

"Aunty please—" Sakura started, her hands raised peacefully

"Here you go sweetie~!" Sakura stared at the bright crimson box thrust into her hands, "Don't open it until you're in the second stage and in need of a little bit extra help, okay?"

"I'll take this on the condition that you take the bags to mom?" Sakura bargained, eyes looking shyly up at the older woman

"Done~" the woman purred and snatched the two bags from Sasuke and Naruto, "I haven't seen Mebu-chan in _years_~"

"That's mostly your fault" Sakura chuckled, stepping away and leading her teammates away.

"Bye-bye~ be safe sweetie~" the woman waved at them cheerfully

"Huh, Nana who are you talking to?" Sakura's aunt turned to look up at the strange man who just stepped out of the principles office, noting how the room was empty and the blonde was standing and waving at the door like a cheerful child.

"Oh~ it's Ibiki-Ku~n!"

"...Please don't say my name like that," Ibiki sighed stepping closer to the receptionist desk "it'll create misunderstandings again."

"Hmm... Ibiki-ku~n" something in Nana's tone of voice made the man stop and glance at her wirily "Are you the proctor for this year's first round?" her voice may have been soft and curious but her jade eyes were flat out predatory, if he didn't answer correctly he'd get a senbon in a very sensitive place but if he lied... Nana _hates_ liars.

"Yes," Ibiki answered, looking as if he was completely unaffected by the blonde's indescribable expression

"If you hurt my sweet little Sakura-cha~n" oh no he answered wrongly "We~ll I'm sure I don't have to finish that sentence."

_Defiantly the wrong answer_, Ibiki sighed and walked away, "Why aren't you in T&amp;I again?"

"I like kiddies~!" was the sweet reply making Ibiki chuckle and roll his eyes; he had forgotten that Nana Haruno liked kids more then she liked bloodshed and destruction. As such, she worked at the academy as the receptionist. The delinquents learned quickly not to piss her off and everyone else believed her to be as sweet and innocent as her crimson loll-pops that she never put down.

…

* * *

…

Sakura marched up the stairs with Sasuke and Naruto behind her, she wanted to get this first round done and over with as fast as possible. She turned to go up the third flight but quickly found that Sasuke and Naruto were heading down a nearby hall, growling lowly Sakura followed them. She quickly found that the whole hall was crawling with other participants; she caught up to her teammates and thumped Naruto on the head.

"Sakura relax we're just curious," Sasuke ordered coldly, barely glancing back at her as he approached the center of the hall.

"Curious?" She hissed loudly, brow ticking and hands on her hips "We have ten minutes to get to 301 and you want to waist it on the wrong _damn_ floor?!"

"We'll leave soon," Sasuke replied with a sigh, ignoring the whispers that filled the hall because Sakura couldn't keep her temper in check. He had seen her hiss and glare and spit fire at Naruto and Ino before but he had never had the misfortune to have it aimed at himself.

"If we get disqualified for your 'curiosity' then I'm gonna punch you both—"

"What?! But I didn't do anything!" Naruto whined

"That's the problem!" Sakura snapped, punching Naruto in the head again

"Hay drop the genjutsu," Sasuke ordered, ignoring his teammate's innovator of ordering the two guards in front of the doors, "and let us through."

"Heh, so you saw through it, huh?" the brunet asked, releasing the genjutsu on the sign

"It wasn't that hard," Sasuke smirked, "Sakura has the keenest eyes and Naruto—"

"You damned idiot!" Sakura hissed, round housing Naruto into the floor. Sasuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying his best to ignore the ruckus behind him.

"I don't think either one saw it," the black haired boy chuckled, watching the pinkette shake the blonde in amusement.

"Sakura" Sasuke called, finally turning around to address his two embarrassing teammates, "Didn't you see the genjutsu?"

"Huh? Genjutsu?" Sakura questioned, freezing mid shake to look at Sasuke as if he was an idiot, not seeing the amused smirks of the two guards behind him. "How many times do I have to tell you that Genjutsu's don't work on me?" That whipped off their smirks "Besides anyone who falls for that tacky ass genjutsu doesn't belong in the chunin examine and the previous graduates _from this school_, should know better then to stop on this floor anyways." Sasuke smirked, glade that Sakura actually caught on so quickly, now he just had to make sure Naruto either says something intelligent or doesn't speak at all.

"Well aren't you a smarty-pants" the brunet chuckled, drawing Sasuke's attention and making Sakura drop Naruto in favor of marching to stand beside Sasuke with narrowed eyes. "Let's see you—"

"Drop dead!" Sakura snapped, slamming a fist against the wall and cracking it heavily, "either get out of our way or... you know what, there isn't an 'or' for you. I'm having a _very_ crappy day and if you don't get out of my way—_hell will rain_ _on you heads_." It was her favorite line her Aunt once said to a bully, said boy never crossed paths with Sakura _ever_ again.

"...You wouldn't happen to be related to a certain receptionist down stairs would you?" the brunet boy asked as he stepped away from team seven quickly; eyes locked onto the spider-web crack that was crawling across the wall.

"What about her?" Sakura asked, straightening and crossing her arms

"...never mind" the burnet sighed, _She's defiantly related to Nana_

"Sasuke, Naruto let's go!" Sakura snapped around intending to march back and up the stairs

"Ah! I figured it out!" Naruto shouted suddenly, drawing attention to himself, "Sakura-chan's on her period!" every one was silent for a moment as they stared at the proud looking boy, "Sakura-chan always gets like ninety percent more violent when she's on her—"

"DIE! Sakura screamed, ax kicking Naruto into the floor

"KYAA!"

_BOOM_

"...Idiots" Sasuke sighed, watching Sakura mach off to the stairs, dragging a knocked-out Naruto by the back of his new orange coat

"I almost pity him," one of the guards snickered as the hall emptied, his eyes on team seven as they disappeared down the hall.

"Yeah but you can't say he didn't have it coming" his partner snickered

…

* * *

…

"Hay wait up!" team seven turned at the voice, stopping amongst the stairs to look back down at the team gathered below them.

"What the—"

"My name is Rock Lee!" the boy in green spandex suit and bowl hair cut shouted proudly, giving Sakura a blinding smile and a thumbs up, "Please by my girlfriend! I'll always protect you!"

"No" Sakura answered automatically

…

_She panted as he moved, lips biting down her shoulder to keep himself from making any noise. Her hands ran through his crimson hair, tugging at the roots as he moved, trying her best to be quiet even as stars danced in her vision and her breath was stolen from her._

…

"Huh? Why not?" Lee asked in surprise

"You're not my type," Sakura answered turning and walking away, grabbing Naruto's ear when he started to chuckle at the older boy "and in this examine we'll be enemies, so there's no point in accepting your offer."

"Wait! What's your name?" Sakura paused again, glancing down to see Sasuke smirk down at the white eyed boy just behind his black haired teammate.

"It's polite to introduce your self before you ask for someone else's name" Sasuke replied, turning to follow Sakura and Naruto.

"My name is Neji Hyūga," the white eyed boy growled, not liking being dismissed so easily. "Now will you tell me your names?" Team 7 shared a look, mostly looking at Sakura for approval, who simply shrugged carelessly and continued forward regardless.

"...Sasuke" Sasuke said, nodding in greeting to the team, "He's Naruto and she's—"

"None of your concern," Sakura interrupted, eyes narrowed at the white eyed boy. "What part of 'we're going to be late' did you not understand?"

"R-right Sakura-chan, we're coming" Naruto grumbled, rubbing at his sore ear as he quickly followed her

_Idiot,_ Sasuke sighed, catching and sharing Sakura's disappointed look at Naruto's blunder. Sasuke tried hard to ignore the footsteps following them but there really wasn't much he could do about it, the possibility that they were going to the same room as him was too high. It was when they were about to enter the final hall to room 301 that Sasuke regretted not doing something about the follower.

"Please wait!"

Sakura growled lowly and turned swiftly, throwing a rigged kunai at the familiar voice while she was at it. Lee quickly dodged the rigged kunai and stared teary eyed at Sakura, as if she just betrayed him; he blinked dumbly when the explosive tag didn't go off.

"We don't have time for twenty questions" Sakura snapped out, placing a hand on her hip, and tugging on the wire attached to the end of her kunai, pulling it back to her out stretched hand "Quite annoying me or so help me—"

"Sakura-chan we've got five minutes," Naruto piped up, "Surly we could hear him out..."

"No fighting," Sakura growled, crossing her arms and walking away, "Hurry the hell up."

"Defiantly her period," Naruto murmured when she was out of hearing rang

"Do you want her to hit you again?" Sasuke asked as they moved just a little closer to Lee, "What do you want?"

"Well I was going to ask for a quick spar... but..." Lee tilted his head to look around the boys and at Sakura who was leaning against a pillar and glaring at the clock hatefully.

"Yeah she get's like that sometimes" Naruto chuckled, "Although she seems to be worse then normal this time, I wonder if something happened?"

"Naruto! Sasuke!" Sakura called out, rising from the pillar and glaring at them, "Hurry up we got two minutes!"

"Coming!" Naruto shouted as he turned and hurried towards Sakura quickly, Sasuke sighed and quickly followed after her, not believing that they seriously just wasted three minutes on the boy with hardly any words exchanged. Sakura lifted off the wall and turned down the hall, not waiting for them to catch up. Lee waved dejectedly at their backs before hurrying away towards his own teammates, knowing that he'd see team seven soon enough. At the end of the hall to room 301, team seven stopped and stared dully at Kakashi, who smiled cheerfully at them.

"Well you three look different," Kakashi chuckled, watching how the two boys looked pointedly at Sakura

"My Neighbors pet mice found my closet," Sakura grumbled with a blush, folding her hands behind herself. "I thought the boys might like some new clothes..."

"What are you doing here Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke asked curiously,

"Ah, yes that's right" Kakashi chuckled, grinning at the three curious genin "as you might have guessed already, this examine isn't optional, you have to enter as a team and stay through the first two rounds _as_ a team." Kakashi turned to look at Sakura, who was frowning in irritation at him, "Sakura, if you hadn't come I wouldn't have let the boy's come through."

"...You were expecting me not to show up?" Sakura asked with narrowed eyes

"Heh, sorry" Kakashi answered, knowing that he properly struck a nerve for her. "The good news is that you did show up and all three of you can now go through the doors..." Sakura's crossed arms and peeved expression said that he wasn't forgiven and that he properly wouldn't be forgiven for a while yet. He stepped aside with a sigh as Sakura and Sasuke stepped forward, Naruto following behind like a lost puppy as they opened the doors to the first round of the chunin examine.

_It's been a long time_, Kakashi thought, glancing at Sakura's detailed skirt and sleeves, knowing that behind the beautiful flowers and leafs, the twisting and curling branches formed storage seals. _A long time since I last saw something like that..._ the last person he saw that had similar clothing was Sakura's father, the man's personality was as bright as his daughter's hair and his intelligence was almost on par with Shikaku's. Unfortunately, the bright and sunny man had passed away a few years ago; he had separated from his teammates in order to give them enough time to return to the village. They did get back to the village in time to save one member of the team but her father was never found and his other teammates were dead from blood loss and chakra exhaustion having arrived too late to receive aid, the one surviving member was retired with a bad limp, he was the one who held onto the corpses of his teammates, believing that they were still alive.

It would seem that, regardless of what happened to her clothing, (Kakashi was betting that Mebuki put the mice in Sakura's closet) Sakura was taking her career as a kunochi seriously. She was wearing her father's clothes that he made for her when she was still a toddler, hoping that she'd grow into them, more then proud that he could finally pass on his family trade because it was more for a woman's art then it ever truly was for men.

…

* * *

…

Gaara turned to see who entered this time, his eyes locking in on the familiar pinkette and her teammates. He ignored his sibling's soft murmurs in favor of examining the girl, glad that she wore at least some of what he picked out for her. The crimson kimono top with the long bell sleeves looked good on her, giving her the illusion of curves and a bust that he knew she didn't have much of. The soft white outline curved around her gracefully, the emerald leafs and amber flowers looked like flames on her sleeves and waist. Instead of the dark shinobi pants he found in her closet, she chose to wear a double layered skirt, the first pale pink layer danced just passed her knees gracefully while the second layer of deep crimson swished flirtingly against her thighs, flashing bright amber flowers and soft twisting branches like flames on the edge of her skirt. She wasn't wearing the combat boots he set out for her, she chose a pair of short heels instead, the straps looking like vines as they curved gracefully up her milky white legs and hooked into place by little white flowers just beneath her calves.

Her teammates looked less impressive

Sasuke was wearing a long sleeved black turtleneck with three shades of blue flames arcing up his arms and his pants were simple black khaki's and a dark gray vest similar to a Leaf Chunin's vest. While Naruto was dressed in an orange T-shirt with a long sleeved black shirt beneath it and neon orange pants; all out lined in yellow and gold thread that defiantly looked like flames. Overall, they actually looked like shinobi—but Sakura still had the more impressive outfit of the group.

Then again, he just might be biased

…

* * *

…

"Sasuke-ku~n!" Sakura flinched at the high-pitched squeal, her eyes rounding onto Ino who all but barreled Sasuke over as she jumped and landed onto his back. "Where have you been you bad boy?" she asked flirtatiously, making Sakura's brow twitch sporadically

"Ino, get off," Sasuke ordered with a grunt, trying to stand his ground without falling over

"Oh you guys are here too," Shikamaru yawned as he approached tiredly, "What the hell happened to your old clothes?"

"My neighbor's pets," Sakura grumbled glaring at the floor as if it was at fault for her misfortune

"Sakura-chan decided that if she had to have a change in outfit then so did we!" Naruto chuckled earning an irated look from Sakura

"Really?" Ino asked stepping back to look Sasuke up and down which made the boy step away and put Sakura between them as if the pinkette could protect him from the blonde. "Wow Forehead girl you actually... you actually made Sasuke-kun look even hotter!" Sasuke glared at Sakura, blaming her for Ino's unwavering attention. Sakura glanced at him and smirked, knowing that she had picked out his clothes herself—she picked out Naruto's too but that was beside the point.

"Hay all nine rookies are here," Sakura groaned at the familiar voice, she looked behind Shikamaru and Chōji and saw team eight approaching together, hiding Hinata behind their big coats and tall figures.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sakura couldn't help but ask, Kiba looked at her with a glare, his nose twitched and he blushed brightly; he backed away and put Hinata in front of him like a shield. "What's your problem?"

"Nothing" Kiba answered quickly, paling slightly. Sakura sighed and turned to look at Sasuke in irritation, as if he could translate Kiba's sudden bizarre reaction

"His nose is stronger then most" Sasuke answered her silent question carefully

"Say a word and die," Sakura growled out, glaring dangerously at Kiba.

"Is it shark week?" Ino asked, tilting her head to the side curiously

"Shark week?" Sakura asked looking at Ino with a raised eyebrow

"Yeah, Mom showed me a picture in a book she was reading and saw that it was scarily similar to the female reproductive system." Ino explained, not seeing that the boy's blush brightly, now understanding Kiba's reaction "ever since then she's been calling the monthly cycles 'Shark week'."

"That's... surprisingly accurate," Sakura murmured thoughtfully, "okay" She nodded her head at Ino, "Right, it's Shark week then."

"Oh good I'm not alone" Ino sighed, pressing a hand to her chest and smiling slightly

"You guys are weird" Naruto murmured, "one minute you're biting each other's heads off and the next you're talking like nothing happened."

"They're girl's, what'd you expect?" Shikamaru asked, staring dully at Naruto

"Hay! Hinata's nice—"

"Kiba!" Hinata shouted out, red faced and on the verge of fainting

"Oh, right, Sorry Hinata"

"I can't belief this is the first thing we're talking about," Sasuke sighed fighting the urge to rub at his temple as the others conversed not softly or even loudly but just loud enough for everyone in the room to hear them.

"Five months away from each other and suddenly old friends are strangers," Shino agreed softly

"Hay you guys quiet down," turning the rookies looked at the gray haired boy approaching them, "You're setting everyone on edge, quiet—"

"How the hell is that our fault?" Sakura asked loudly, interrupting the boy and raising an eyebrow "If they can't handle a few kids talking then they shouldn't be in the examines, considering that the examines are like a hundred times worse then just a couple of loud kids talking and minding their own busyness."

"...You know, some of participants wouldn't like that—"

"Again, how is that my problem?" Sakura asked, putting a hand on her hip "All that proves is that they're a nervous wreck and don't belong here anyways."

"...You have a counter for everything that I have to say don't you?" The older boy asked looking like he wasn't sure to be irated with her or nervous for her well-being.

"Billboard brow is hopped up on Morphine!" Ino cackled out suddenly, "Right now she feels like she could take on the world!"

"Ino-pig!" Sakura shouted throwing a fist at the blonde that was caught, Ino tried to return the favor but Sakura caught her punch; leaving the two of them struggling against the other's hold with glares that through off sparks between them.

"Girls are scary," Chōji mumbled, backing away like the other boys

"I really hope she's not really on Morphine," the boy said suddenly, drawing the boy's attention, "There are better medicines then that..."

"Nothing else works" Sakura said side stepping and loosening her grip on Ino, letting the blonde stumble passed. "I figured taking Morphine every thirty minutes was better then fainting every five," Sakura said turning to face the boy directly and ignoring Ino's glare and furious stance behind her. "By the way, who are you?"

"Ah, my apologies I'm Kabuto," The gray haired boy said, chuckling and scratching the back of his neck nervously, "I'm Kabuto Yakushi."

"Yakushi?" Sakura questioned with a frown, "as in Doctor Yakushi's adoptive son?"

"You know my dad?" Kabuto asked with a bewildered look

"He was our family doctor," Sakura said, nodding in agreement "Although... I thought he said you took the examine like... what was it? Four years ago?"

"Aw... yeah about that"

"You failed didn't you?" Sakura asked with a sigh

"Yup" Kabuto chuckled, "Ah and I've been collecting data ever sense then too, so I kind of know everyone here. Just give me a name or description and I'll show you their stats," Kabuto pulled out a deck of orange cards, "On these ninja cards of course."

"Um... how the hell did you get info on people you've never met and those who are first timers here?" Sakura asked curiously "Wouldn't that involve breaking into the various village's security records?"

"No" Kabuto said nervously, glancing at the other participants who were glaring warningly at him, "no I didn't break into any village security records, that'd start another war."

"So you got someone else to do it?" Sakura asked curiously, tilting her head to the side childishly

"Do you want some of my info or not?" Kabuto asked, looking like he wanted to hide behind a big rock

"Yes/Not" Sasuke and Sakura answered at the same time, looking at each other Sakura sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Whatever," Sakura grumbled, crossing her arms and staring at Kabuto in a board manner "Do whatever you want."

"Gaara of the desert and Rock Lee of leaf" Sasuke said automatically, turning to Kabuto and ignoring Sakura's snort of amusement

"Ah~ you even know their names, that's no fun" Kabuto chuckled, lifting a card from the deck "lets see, Rock Lee is up first..."

_poof_

"Ugly," Ino said automatically at the sight of Lee's picture

"Doesn't mean he's not strong," Sakura retorted, "He avoided my bomb trap like it was nothing."

"Anyone with half a brain could avoid that thing" Ino shot back with a smirk

"Calm down girls," Kabuto chuckled, calmly preventing the two from going at each other's necks again "And Sakura-chan is right—"

"Haruno-san" Sakura corrected automatically, staring down at Kabuto in irritation, "We're not friends Yakushi-san, don't call me by my first name."

"Ah... right, sorry Haruno-san," Kabuto corrected himself with a nervous chuckle, mantling adding the new bit of info to her card later. "As I was saying, Rock Lee is teammates to Neji Hyūga and Tenten, his teacher is Maito Gai and he specializes in Taijutsu; it doesn't look like he has much progress in any of the other five fields."

_Genjutsu, Taijutsu, Ninjutsu..._ Sakura stopped as a frown pulled at her brows and twisted her lips. _Five fields? Am I missing two?_

"Now on to Gaara of the desert" Kabuto said, pulling up another card and running his chakra through it. Sakura shifted uncomfortably, not liking how her stomach suddenly felt really warm, (_did she need to change already?_) "Huh, this is strange... I don't have much on him..." Sakura's eyes focused on Gaara's card, staring rather blankly at the very blank looking card. "His teammates are his older siblings Temari and Kankuro... his teacher is unknown as is his talents... Oh! He's taken a B-ranked mission."

"A B-rank?" Shikamaru asked doubtfully, "No Genin our age can take on a B-rank"

"No normal Genin at least" Sakura grumbled in agreement, shifting uncomfortably again, going so far as to lock her arms together behind her.

"Sa-Haruno-san is right," Kabuto said flinching as he quickly corrected himself, "There's something off with this kid. No matter what mission he takes, he always comes back unharmed—without a single scratch."

"Creepy," Kiba mumbled with soft agreements from everyone else, no one but Kabuto saw Sakura's slight blush as she stared at Gaara's card.

"...I'm surprised none of you want to know about each other," Kabuto chuckled at them

"What's there to know?" Ino asked rolling her eyes, "We all grew up together."

"Really? So you don't think they've changed since graduation?" Kabuto asked curiously

"Well..." Ino glanced curiously at Sakura, her eyes racking over her out fit more specifically, "When did you get such a cute outfit? It actually looks good on you"

"My dad made it," Sakura answered blushing as she lifted a sleeve for Ino to get a better look at. "He used manikins and mom to help him with the outfits; I pretty much have an outfit for every year of my life until I'm twenty... I just didn't wear them because... well..."

"Yeah we know," Shikamaru sighed, closing his eyes, "trust us, we know..."

"I don't" Kabuto replied, looking up at the rookies curiously "mind filling me in?"

"Yes" Sakura answered with a frown, "It's none of your damn busyness."

"Kabuto, do you know how many participants are in this year's chunin examine?" Sasuke asked, drawing attention away from Sakura and her affectionate rubbing of her sleeves

"Yup," Kabuto said with a smirk, pulling out another card and running chakra through it until another puff of smoke erupted from it showing the map of the five elemental nations, each with a bar standing in the center of the countries; at the base of the card was each hidden village's symbol and a number just beneath them.

"Konoha has an awful lot of participants," Shikamaru noted curiously

"That's because each host village always has a higher participant entrance then any of the other villages," Kabuto explained

"Oh, I think I get it," Shikamaru commented, straightening enough to examine the room before looking back own at the card thoughtfully, "no village wants to have all their secrets and skills known by the other villages."

"That's right," Kabuto agreed with a smile

"Huh, what's up with the music note? They only have like three teams or is that the number of people they have participating?" Ino asked curiously

"The numbers are the numbers of teams that each village puts forward" Kabuto answered "And as for the sound village, well" Kabuto shrugged his shoulders carelessly. "The hidden sound village only came up recently; it's still pretty small and weak, so that's why the numbers are so small." Sakura clasped her teammate's shoulders and pulled them back, ignoring their protesting and earning curious looks from the others.

"Huh? Oh!" Kabuto jumped back just in time to miss a kick from a tall boy, then he back flipped to avoid a kick from a kunochi, then he jumped back just in time to avoid the swing from their teammate.

"Ha" Kabuto smirked at them, then his glasses shattered and doubled over coughing and puking

"That's gross" Kiba grumbled backing away

"Serves him right" Sakura sighed, releasing her teammates and putting one hand on a cocked hip. "Seriously, did he think he could get away with insulting a hidden village with it's shinobi _within_ hearing range? He had that coming"

"Yeah okay, but how did it even happen?" Shikamaru asked, "We all saw that punch, Kabuto dodged it by a mile."

"What part of 'hidden sound' did you not understand?" Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow, at the blank faces given to her, Sakura sighed and pointed at the mummy-wana-be's arm, where a large metallic object with several holes sat. "Seriously Shikamaru, his village and the contraption on his arm should be enough clues to you. Kabuto got hit with a sound wave that knocked into his body and disrupted his equilibrium, that's why there's blood coming out of his ear. Innless Kabuto is a medic Nin, he'll never hear out of that ear again."

"You're smart," the boy smirked at her, turning towards her slightly

"Top of our class," Sasuke confirmed, staring at him wirily

_BOOM_

"Alright you baby-faced degenerates!" Everyone snapped around to face the front of the class, their eyes wide at the plume of smoke rising there. "My name is Ibiki Marino and this is my territory, follow my rules or fail this examine!" Sakura stared at the group that was revealed when the smoke faded away, "You sound Nin, stand down. There'll be no blood shed so long as I'm proctor of this round"

"Ch, where's the fun in that?" the tall boy in the yellow shirt asked with a smirk

"Our apologies" the mummy-wanna-be murmured beside his teammates, "We just... got a little excited..."

"You can get excited else where" Ibiki replied coldly. "Now each of you will come upfront and grab two pieces of paper, one will be the paper test and the other will be your seat placement."

"A paper test?" Naruto whined, tears threatening to run down his face

"We're doomed" Sakura sighed

"Have you no faith in me Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked with pleading eyes

"Not on a paper test" Sakura shot back straight faced, smiling when Naruto bowed his head. "Cheer up," Sakura said, ruffling Naruto's hair affectionately "Don't worry so much, Sasuke and I will help you if we need you to pass too."

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked as he stepped forward, taking Naruto and Sakura with him into the line

"Kakashi-sensei said we need to pass the first two rounds together—as a _team,_" Sakura reminded him

"So we'll be scored as a team" Sasuke hissed now understanding

"And I doubt they'll let our team pass if one of us has a _zero_," Sakura mumbled, studying the seats and marking off her possible placement. "We'll have to work together to figure out a way to get answers to Naruto..."

"This just got a lot harder" Sasuke sighed

"Just pray we're wrong" Sakura replied

Of course, they weren't wrong, much to their disappointment. Two points were deducted for every time they were caught cheating and once they were caught five times, they were dismissed from the examine. Sakura sighed in her seat, she was two rows back from Naruto and seven away from Sasuke, they were almost a perfect right angle from each other. She could get answers to Naruto once the boy in front of her moved or got disqualified but Sasuke didn't have away yet. The boy to her left was older by a few years and as skitter-ish as a first time thief, her right was so far free—

"Huh?" Sakura rose from her slump slightly as she watched a familiar red head sit beside her calmly, placing his gourd in the ail beside him.

…

_She felt his too warm hands run over her ribs, his hot breath on her neck and his body rub against her's. She could barely make out his short crimson locks but she could see his jade green eyes as clear as daylight, stealing her breath away every time they made eye contact._

…

"Can I help you?" Gaara asked politely, bring a brightly blushing Sakura back out from her thoughts, she squeaked in embracement and slammed her forehead on the desk, wrapping her arms around her head. Sakura swore that several people were laughing at her, weather it was the proctors or the boy next to her, she didn't know and didn't particularly care. She just wanted those flash backs of her strange dream to stop, they were doing strange things to her body and she wasn't sure how to feel about it.

"Begin!" Ibiki shouted, ringing a bell loudly. Sakura snapped up and flipped her paper over, her eyes roaming over the paper quickly, after a split second of thought she laid her paper down and went to work answering the questions. She twitched as she caught the boy to her left glance at her paper, she made a mark at the edge of her paper, barely half a minute later he did it again... and again a minute later.

"That's it!" Sakura hissed, spinning in her seat and slamming a fist into the boy's rib cage sending spiraling out of his seat. "Quite cheating off of me damn it! That's the third damn time! Again and you won't have to worry about the proctors hulling you out of here because I'll _throw_ you out the damn window!" The proctors snickered to themselves, trying hard not to let it get the better of them as Sakura sat down with a huff and the boy hesitantly crawled back into his seat.

"Can I get a different seat?" the boy asked the nearest proctor hopefully

"Nope" he smirked, having too much fun at the other boy's expanse. Five minutes later the boy sitting between Naruto and Sakura got called out on cheating and left; after that the teams were dropping like flies, several had to be escorted out.

…

* * *

…

Gaara sat in his seat staring a head dully, his arms crossed as he watched the clock in irritation. The girl beside him had flipped her paper over the second she was done and proceeded to lean back in her seat staring thoughtfully at her teammate. Gaara stiffened when he felt a burst of chakra gather beside him, eyes narrowing Gaara studied the stiff kunochi beside him.

He watched as something in her eyes changed and a smirk appeared on her lips, she shifted and flipped her paper over, green eyes scanning over it as if she didn't already know the answers. Curious Gaara turned to look ahead again, letting his sand move beneath the seat, twirled passed him and slithered under Sakura's longer skirt, brushing against her ankles teasingly. He had to fight a smirk as Sakura's leg jerked and kicked the barrier in front of them, drawing attention from the proctors nearby and making the boy on the other side of her flinch.

…

* * *

…

Ino flinched inside Sakura's body, her face paling as she felt something brush affectionately against Sakura's ankle. She tried to focus on her given task, but it grew difficult when she felt the soft thing brush between her legs like an affection seeking kitten. She scooted foreword and tucked her feet under her, hoping to make the slithery thing go away; sadly, it didn't take the hint. Ino felt herself stiffen further as she felt the strange thing slither between her tightly clasped ankles and traveled up Sakura's calves. Setting the paper down with a frown, Ino gripped the seat and glared at the paper, her foot moving to smack the thing way.

Bad move

Ino paled as she recognized the feel of hands on Sakura's knees, pushing them a side slightly to have more access to... Ino's face lit up and she quickly slammed her hands together in the released seal of her family's ninjutsu. When she got back into her own body she peeked up at Sakura shyly, but the floral haired girl was simply glaring in her direction, as if _she_ had done the touching up instead of a sneaky brat somewhere in the room.

…

* * *

…

Gaara quickly let his sand turn into a pile at Sakura's feet the second he saw the girl form the release seal and felt the chakra fly passed him. Sakura slumped over slightly, her forehead nearly colliding with the desk before she caught herself. She lifted her head and looked around with a frown for a moment, confusion lighting her features; when her eyes landed on the clock she paled drastically, her eyes searching out her teammates quickly.

…

* * *

…

_Oh no_, Sakura thought staring at the clock with wide eyes, she had five minutes to get Naruto at least one correct answer. Turning slightly, Sakura looked passed the boy beside her and searched for Sasuke's eyes; she found them easily enough now she just need to know if he had been able to get an answer to Naruto. His confused look said enough, he still wasn't at that great of an angle to help Naruto. She rounded her eyes back up the clock, two minutes left, she didn't have enough time to prepare her idea and try it out!

One minute left; if she didn't do something then they were disqualified! Naruto glanced back at her worriedly, but she was turned glaring at Ino who was just a few rows behind her. He sighed in understanding, turning to face the front as if he was ready to walk the plank, Ino must have possessed Sakura to get the answers. Ino's memory was almost as bad as his; she must have taken up a lot of time trying to remember Sakura's answers and as such prevented Sakura getting him even one correct answer.

"Pencils down!" and now they were royally screwed

Ibiki examined the group before him curiously; there were a lot more remaining teams then he thought there would be...

"Listen up" Ibiki ordered coldly, "You all have a choice to make, if you take the tenth question and pass you'll pass on to the next round. However, if you take the tenth question and fail... then you'll be unable to take the chunin examine ever again!"

Commence shouting and rude remarks

Once everyone was more or less settled down again, Ibiki watched as a few genin gave up and walked out, taking their teams with them and thinning his room out. After five minutes and the room was tense for whoever was going to quite next, Ibiki was surprised to see a trembling hand slowly raise into the air, shocking more then his teammates, Naruto gritted his teeth and clenched his eyes shut.

"Number 4—"

"NO!" everyone jumped at the sound of Naruto's voice, his hand slamming onto the desk as he rose to his feet glaring determinedly at Ibiki. "I don't quite and I never give up! I'll take your tenth question! Even if I fail and end up a genin for the rest of my life, I'll still be Hokage someday!" Ibiki blinked at Naruto, surprised by his outburst, yet amused when the blonde sat back and crossed his arms childishly.

_Hmm..._ Ibiki swept his eyes out over the group once more, searching for anyone who were still hesitant about the 'tenth' question—he found none. "Well then... you all" perhaps he shouldn't be taking so much pleasure in their worried expressions "PASS!"

Silence...

"Wait what?!" Ibiki chuckled at the remaining participants, yes messing with genin was very entertaining, but that didn't mean that he wasn't serious about the test. He started to explain why the tenth question was necessary and how it was related to the ranks of Chunin's but about half way through the speech, he was cut off by a giant violet ball that burst through the glass and opened wide in front of him.

"Alright maggots!" Ibiki sighed; he knew that voice as well as he knew his own "I'm Anko Mitarashi! Prepare for hell!"

"You're early" Ibiki drowned out, stepping around the curtain and looking passively at Anko

"Oh? Sorry!" Anko chuckled to him, scratching the back her head with a big smile, "Anyway~ how'd many you leave me?" Ibiki sighed as the woman ignored him, choosing to count the remaining genin, "Huh? 20 teams? Really Ibiki? Your test must have been too easy!"

"That or there were many exceptional children this year" Ibiki shot back, unfazed by the woman's taunt

"Whatever it doesn't matter," Anko looked out at the teams in front of her, a viscous smirk twisting her features, "By the end of my test there won't even be half as many!"

…

* * *

…

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to review!**

**Page 26**


	3. Chapter 3

**A trick up his sleeve**

Chapter 3: Second Round

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

…

Gaara sighed in his seat, glaring out the front window of the bus that Anko made them all board so they could get to their next location quickly without losing anyone. Of course, she pegged him as the threat and made him sit in the front with his siblings behind him and who did she choose to sit beside him? The pinkette he had been trying not to look at for the entire day, her own teammates were sitting across from his siblings, which left Anko to watch the whole bus from beside them.

"Break check~!" the crazy blonde driving the bus cackled out, no one heard her so no one but Anko was prepared for the sudden lurching forward making everyone tumble into each other.

Everything would have been fine if the crazy woman hadn't been driving at a hundred miles an hour and going around a corner when she did it. Gaara's gourd ended up on the floor, pinning his ankle in place while Sakura was slammed into him, pinning him to the side of the bus. Hissing in pain, Sakura braced herself against the seat and barrier in front of them, pressing her back into his arm and forcing him to turn towards her completely.

"G-Gaara?" Temari asked softly, peaking over the edge of the seat worriedly, her eyes widening at Sakura's position against her brother. "Pinky you might want to move"

"Nope" Sakura said, peaking over the edge of the barrier to her right and paling at what laid ahead "Another turn is coming up and I don't care how embarrassing this is, I'm not taking any chances with Auntie's driving."

"I thought you liked my driving?" Nana asked with a pout, pressing on the gas

"When I was five and didn't understand the danger that was _you_ behind the wheel!" Sakura snapped at her, Nana looked at her with a pout... and let go of the wheel...

"Aunty!" Sakura shrieked out, tears springing to her eyes, "I-I was joking!" Nana didn't look convinced, the other genin were starting to panic and Anko was laughing like a delighted child

"That's a cliff up ahead," Gaara observed dully, not sure if the blonde had gotten them lost

"I love you Aunty please don't kill us!" Nana grinned and took hold of the wheel, after a lot of jerking, spinning, praying, cursing and what not; Nana had slid them to a stop in front of the given destination, the side of the bus opening up to spill it's contents out like a heap of trash before rightenning itself.

"Have a nice time sweaty~" Nana called, from inside the bus, letting Anko leave it calmly, "Avoid the tigers!" Sakura felt like crying as she heard more then saw the bus turn and fly away from them and one smirking Anko.

"Your Aunt is nuts," Temari grumbled beside Sakura, looking green as she turned tiered teal eyes on her

"Try living with her," Sakura counted, not looking up from where she laid face down

"A-are you alright?" Temari asked hesitantly, not sure what to make of the mess beside her

"I think so," Sakura huffed lifting her head and tried to move but found herself pinned instead.

"Whose ever hand is on my ass better retract it before I cut it off!"

Was it just her did every male just lift his hands into the air?

"S-Sakura-cha~n" Naruto whined in the mass pile of genin mush, "Are you alright?"

"I don't feel any pain," Sakura answered, twisting to look up where she heard Naruto's queasy sounding voice. Her eyes widened as she stared wide-eyed at the short crimson hair obscuring her point of view.

…

_She giggled softly as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her from behind, they were strong and familiar, yet she couldn't see the man holding her nor see the face that rested on her shoulder. He murmured in her ear, making her giggle as he pulled her back from the glass, towards the bed and silken sheets. She whispered, turning her face enough to press a kiss to his crimson temple,_

…

Her body was pinned to the ground, letting only her arms push up her torso just enough to let her breathe semi-normally. The boy laying atop her had somehow managed to het his arms pinned under her, forcing his head to rest on her shoulder and his short red hair into her eyes.

"Hay! Get off Sakura-chan!"

Sakura blinked dumbly at the short red hair that wasn't moving out of her point of view

"Oi! Get off my brother!"

Everything was starting to get a little foggy...

"S-Sakura-chan! Are you okay?!"

Why was it getting dark?

"Sakura-chan!"

"Enough games, get up already!" Anko ordered looking irate at the pile of Genin mush with a twitching eyebrow, some of those kids didn't land right... the red head from Suna and the pinkette from Kakashi's team was just one example, the Sound kunochi didn't look to pleased with the boy on top of her at the moment. But then again, what self respecting Kunochi likes to wake up with an unfamiliar face buried into their chest?

"Sakura-chan! Stay awake!"

Okay it was time she interfered in this immobile pile of mush

"OI! I said GET UP!" Anko screamed kicking at several genin and toppling the pile over, freeing several of the nearly buried alive genin on the bottom of the pile. Anko might have taken a little too much delight in seeing a few Kunochi start kicking the crud out of a few boys. Gaara coughed and picked himself up off Sakura, stumbling away from the pile and towards his gourd, noting how Temari punched one of the shinobi off her so she could rise to her feet.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted in the mess, pulling and pushing himself to the surface of the new pile

"Hurry up Dube she's not breathing!" Sasuke snapped rising from where he had been buried and hurrying over the pile to where Sakura laid knocked out and red faced. Naruto scrambled to his feet and arrived at Sakura's side about the same time Sasuke and Anko did.

"What's wrong with her?" Naruto asked as Anko stooped and checked Sakura's pulse, chuckling Anko reached into her back pocket and pulled out a water bottle. Without any warning of any kind, Anko dumped the contents of the bottle onto Sakura's face, making the pinkette gasp and sit up with a fist swinging towards the crazy Jonin beside her.

"Whoa! Easy pinky!" Anko chuckled, leaning away from the punch and rising to her feet quickly, "Is that anyway to greet someone who got you breathing again?"

"You smoother everyone who's not breathing?" Sakura coughed, pounding on her chest and whipping at her face to get rid of the excess water. Anko was prevented from answering by a loud scream of 'Kai' and a body flying out of the pile to skid to a halt several feet away.

"Hinata!" Kiba shouted not far from the young heiress, "Are you okay?" Hinata murmured something to him; he stiffened then quickly hurried over to Shino and unburied him.

"Whoa! No killing!" Anko shouted as both Shino and Kiba both rose to their feet and advanced on the knocked out boy outside of the pile with deadly intent leaking from them, "At least not yet!"

Gaara glanced at Sakura as Temari and Kankuro conversed, she didn't seem to be hurt, Gaara turned around before anyone noticed him looking at her.

To bad he didn't see the smirk on Anko's face

…

* * *

…

Sakura sighed as she stared at her slip of paper, wondering if she should sign it and possibly die or not sign it and receive her teammate's wrath later. Which was more important? Her life or their wrath?

"Are you still thinking about signing that?" Sakura started at the voice, turning saw a smirking Ino walking towards her, "Seriously why don't you just quite if you can't handle a little challenge like this anyways?"

"Really? You want me to quite?" Sakura asked with a twitching eyebrow, "Is it possibly because you don't want to be the only kunochi failing her team?"

"What? You think I won't sign this stupid little piece of paper?" Ino asked loudly, "You're the one who hasn't signed it yet!"

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?!" Sakura asked glaring at Ino with her hands on her hips

"Well I'm signing it!" Ino snapped, "I'm passing this round forehead girl!"

"Oh like you can do that without me!" Sakura snapped out, her eyes spitting daggers right back at Ino

"Ch" both girls growled and marched away from each other, leaving Ino's teammates to look after them with pale faces.

…

* * *

…

After coming across a snake large enough to dwarf most houses, Gaara decided that not only was the forest of death adeptly named but the proctor of this examine was bat-shit crazy. After three hours they had gotten the mach to their scroll and they were headed toward the center when that rain team got in their way. Gaara was already in a bad mood and their presence only make it worse—so he killed them, when that leaf team stumbled onto them he damn near killed them too.

"Now listen up Gaara!" Kankuro shouted, grabbing the strap that wrapped around Gaara's chest "Some times you should just listen to your big brother!"

"To bad I don't see you as a big brother," Gaara replied coldly, hand still out stretched and his sand still gathering

"Do you think pinky would like it if you killed her friends?!" Kankuro snapped, making Gaara narrow his eyes at him warningly

"Why should I care what she thinks?" Gaara asked, lifting his hand for Kankuro to see that he had merely re-gathered his sand to form the cork in his gourd, Kankuro's brow twitched and he let go of Gaara with a shove.

"Let's just go," Kankuro growled out marching away from the bloody field with Temari and Gaara close behind. Now that she had been brought up, Gaara stopped to wonder what had happened to her, without even trying Gaara contacted the sand he had placed into the folds of her kimono top when he landed on top of her.

…

* * *

…

Sakura panted as she struggled in her restraints, the rain Nin who tried to impersonate Naruto and then wounded by Sasuke had wondered off back to his teammates and like an idiot she followed him. She thought she could leave a trail for Naruto and Sasuke to follow, she had hoped that they could ambush them but it didn't work out very well. Now she was tied up to a tree in nothing but her shorts and sports bra because she wouldn't tell them where the scroll was; so they stripped her and searched her clothes and gear.

"Damn it! She doesn't have it!" The one with one eye snapped, throwing her blouse to the ground in a fit. Sakura couldn't hold back her snort at his temper tantrum; unfortunately he heard and rounded on to her with a glare and snarl.

_Crap_

…

* * *

…

Gaara's eyes widened and stopped in his tracks, facing in the direction his sand was communicating to him from. The only reason he didn't take off towards it was because the sand reassured him that her teammates were close by, readying to take some action soon.

_Stupid girl_, Gaara thought, letting the strand he put in Sakura's kimono top responded to the negative energy aimed at her. Gaara turned and quickly caught up to his siblings, he didn't need them telling Baki about his strange behavior towards the pinkette.

…

* * *

…

Sakura flinched as the boy kicked at her stomach again, making her cough harshly, she grinned and glared up at him, her eyes glinting dangerously as she strained against her bindings. The boy's glare didn't lesson and he pulled back his fist, her smirk didn't falter as she caught sight of something orange in the distance.

"Damn it! Tell us where it is!" he snarled

"Drop dead," Sakura spat back unaffected by his fury or the cold eyes of his teammates

"Don't touch her!" Naruto screamed, jumping out from his hiding place in the form of a hundred clones

_About time_, Sakura thought, relaxing against the tree, closing her eyes as Naruto distracted the Nin and Sasuke swept forward, snatching up her clothes and as much of her gear before hurrying towards her. Sasuke was almost to her when he dropped her things and ducked back word just in time to dodge a swipe from one of the Rain Nin's who doubled back for Sasuke. Sakura grunted as she strained against the binds, panting Sakura thumped back against the tree she was bound to. Examining the fight, Sakura's smirk returned as Sasuke didn't hesitate to throw her articles of clothing at her... and her weapons... and Auntie's box...

Sakura's eyes landed on the crimson box etched with flowers and branches, it was strange that her aunt would even pick it up much less have any use for it but then again 'strange' described the woman pretty well.

"_Don't open it until you're in the second stage and in need of a little bit extra help, okay?"_

_Aunty I don't know what your planning but it better be in my favor_, Sakura thought stretching her legs out to reach for the crimson box and try to bring it just that little bit closer to her. Sakura stiffened when she saw that something was actually pushing the box closer to her... and it wasn't her feet... the box got within reaching distance and Sakura lifted her legs up and away from it, not sure what to make of it. She nearly had a heart attach when she saw something small and dark dive away from the box and moved towards her clothing and gear.

_...Whatever bit of help is greatly appreciated_, Sakura thought as she watched the thing begin to bring her top just a little closer. Sakura lowered her feet and gently worked lose the lid and lifted it from the box. Getting it open, Sakura grinned when she lifted the lid high and looked inside..._The hell—?_

Empty…

The crimson box her aunt gave her… was empty…

"Damn it Aunty!" Sakura shouted, kicking the crimson box away from her in a fit of fury, "That's not funny!"

The crimson box sailed across the air and smacked into the back of one of the Rain Nin, drawing the boy's attention to land on Sakura, he turned and approached her threateningly, pulling out a kunai as his teammates delayed Sakura's. The lid sitting beside Sakura did something else entirely, on the underside of the lid showed a beautifully carved roaring cat jumping out at the viewer—it did just that a few seconds later. Sakura let out a scream so loud that the fighting boy's covered their ears in pain, the cat jumped out of the box and landed with a loud roar that echoed through the air silencing Sakura instantly.

"Wh-what the hell?!" the two eyed rain Nin asked as he backed away from Sakura hesitantly, eyes locked on to the large Cat before him. The Cat looked at him with piercing jade eyes and growled lowly, he looked away instantly, the cat turned away from him to look at the box just a few feet behind him then towards the lid beside Sakura. Turning slowly, the Cat approached Sakura, making her close her eyes and tremble in place, sending a silent prayer for her death to be quick. The Cat stared at her for a moment, taking in her bound body and the crimson lid just inches away from her feet and continued to approach her slowly. Naruto and Sasuke tried to intervene but the Rain Nin stopped them, figuring that if Sakura died they'd be disqualified from the examines.

Sakura bit her lip when she felt the Cat's breath slide across her cheek and neck, brushing against her bare shoulder

She tried not to gag at the rancid smell of rotted flesh that filled her nose...

She stiffened as she felt the whiskers of the cat brush against the skin of her face...

Sakura whimpered as she heard the cat open it's mouth wide...

_Sch-sch_

_Huh?_ Sakura blinked teary green eyes open and look to her side where the large cat was chewing through the rope binding her to the tree. Sakura blinked again as the rope fell away from her body and she collapsed against the tree, her eyes wide in wonder as large strange cat sat in front of her and gently licked her tears away.

"Hic" Sakura couldn't stop the sob that escaped her, which was soon followed by several more as she wrapped her arms around the thick neck of the strange looking cat, who seemed to smile patiently at her, rubbing it's own head against hers gently.

_Thwack_

"AHH!" Sakura gave out a startled scream and jerked back from the tiger, clasping her hands to her side where a kunai was lodged deeply. The cat snapped around and snarled at the Rain nin, noting how the field was suddenly filled with identical copies of the Rain Nin, some facing off against it and some surrounding the two boys with the same forehead protector as Sakura.

"Come on kitty," one clone said, lowering in stance, "Let's see what you got." The cat's eyes glinted in the afternoon sunlight; it lowered into a stance and studied the clones carefully before it gave out another deafening roar. The clones staggered and faded, revealing the location of the caster and his other teammates; the cat lunged forward lightning fast, eyes locked onto the closest boy.

"NO KILLING!" Sakura screamed out desperately, her voice echoing in the air and making the cat's eyes dilate. Snapping it's mouth shut the large cat slashed out at the nearest boy, jumping from him and rounding on to his teammates, slashing out at them until they were caught by the other two boys.

"D-damn it," two eyes hissed, fisting his hands and glaring at the tiger before turning his eyes on to his downed teammate. The cat looked at him, huffed at him like he was nothing then sauntered back to Sakura, sitting before her like an obedient solder.

While Naruto and Sasuke tied up the two rain boys, Sakura studied the large, strange looking cat in front of her curiously. She slowly moved forward and ran her fingers over the cat's massive paws, then up its slim arms and over its pointed face, slowly bringing her hands to rub affectionately behind the cat's ears. Sakura rubbed her hands across the strange looking cat's body, noting how it looked as if someone had bread several large cats together just to get this strange looking breed that chose not to kill her. The massive paws of a lion, the lengthy body of a cheetah, the bright orange stripes of a tiger, the thick face of a panther... it was such a strange looking animal, she didn't know what to make of it.

"Sakura," Sakura turned at Sasuke's voice, she stared dumbly at the bright red piece of cloth he held out to her with his eyes closed and face turned away from her.

"Get dressed," Sasuke said, refusing to look at her. Sakura's face flashed twelve shades of red as she snatched the red shirt from Sasuke's out stretched hand and quickly pulled it over her shoulders.

"I kind-a need the skirt first..." Sasuke sighed and searched the field with keen eyes. The Cat huffed and rose to its feet gracefully; Sakura watched the cat curiously. Looking up from the ground in embarrassment, Sakura giggled as the cat walked back to her with her crimson skirt hanging in it's mouth.

"Thank you," Sakura whispered as she quickly opened the skirt then wrapped it twice just under her bust and tied it in place at her side, she then lifted her crimson shirt over her shoulders and turned her back to her teammates, quickly tying it in place. "You can look now," Sakura said turning to face her teammates as she pulled her hair back into a low ponytail.

"Did you know?" Sasuke asked as he turned to look at her curiously, "About what was in the box I mean."

"No I didn't" Sakura answered with a sigh, stepping over to lid and lifting it into her arms. "You heard what Aunt Nana said: open it only when I was in need of some extra help."

"Hay guys! They have a heaven scroll!" Naruto shouted, waving the pale scroll around as he hurried over to them. He stopped running when he saw that the cat turned to glare at him with ears pulled back and a warning growl rumbling in it's chest.

"It's okay kitty" Sakura said smiling as she approached Sasuke and the big cat, "I think I need to find a name for you..." Sakura smiled as she pressed a gentile hand agents the cat's forehead affectionately.

"Here Sakura-chan, you'll need these," Naruto said holding out Sakura's gear inside the crimson box

"Oh, thank you Naruto," Sakura smiled and accepted the box, kneeling she parted her skirt and placed her kunai pouch on her upper thigh then tucked her larger pouch into the back fold of her belt, hiding it from view.

"Now that we're ready let's go," Sasuke ordered moving around the large cat cautiously

"Wait Sasuke, what about him?" Sakura asked pointing to the boy passed out on the ground a few feet away, "This forest is dangerous, we can't just leave them here with the scent of blood permeating the air, they'll be killed before they could get free."

"They were going to kill you," Sasuke shot back, barely glancing at the wounded boy

"That doesn't mean we can-should stoop to their level," Sakura replied moving passed Naruto and the cat and approached the wounded boy.

"What are you going to do Sakura?" Sasuke asked with an irritated look, "There isn't anything we can do; we don't have enough medical supplies to wai—"

"Get that stick out of your ass Sasuke," Sakura ordered, kneeling next to the bloody boy on the ground and pulling out her pouch. "It'll take us about an hour—maybe two—to reach the center were the tower is, We have the time and _I_ have the resources to 'waist' on them."

"Why do you even want to help them?" Sasuke asked, frowning at Sakura

"Because they're not so different from us," Sakura answered removing the strips of cloth of the boy's uniform from his face where five long lines carved out against his face. "They have a family waiting for them to come home too and rain village is full of orphans and single parent's house holds, they're a civil-war stricken country." Sakura carefully pulled out some medicine and tended to the bleeding mass of the boy's face, careful not to wake him as she sterilized his wounds. "For them, becoming a shinobi is the only way to survive—to protect—their family."

"How do you know?" Two eyes asked in a shaking voice, as if he didn't want to admit the truth of his village, "How do you know about our village?"

"My father," Sakura answered, pausing briefly in her work, "He used to visit his brother there... he wanted to take me along but..." Sakura sighed and pulled out a needle and thread, carefully sterilizing them, Sakura readied to administer stitches to the wounded boy. "He died before he could do it..."

"You have family in rain?" the boy with one eye asked, sounding as if he was frowning at her

"Apparently" Sakura chuckled, poking the needle through the wound carefully, only to have the boy wake up and start thrashing wildly. "Damn it!" Sakura shouted, jumping forward and pinning the wailing boy's shoulders to the ground "Sasuke! Naruto! Hold him down!" Naruto jumped over with a few clones and pinned the boy's body down, "Sasuke! Get over here!" Sasuke gritted his teeth and for a moment Sakura thought that he wouldn't move, he surprised her by turning on his heal and marching over with a glare aimed right at her.

"Hold his head still," Sakura ordered, relief smoothing her features as Sasuke kneeled and did as he was told. Grunting as he forced his wrist into the wailing boy's mouth and using it to pin his head against the ground.

"C-can't we knock him out?" Naruto grunted against the boy's body, fighting not to move into Sakura as she slowly stitched the more dangerous scratch closed.

"If we could I would," Sakura grunted, panting as she tried to keep his face still and keep her snitches small and neat. "Oi! Calm down or you'll get a nasty scare!" Sakura ordered, pulling the needle back from the boy's face, "If you don't hold still I'll miss and make you blind instead!" the boy's body stiffened and he stared up at her with wide terrified pale blue eyes.

"We're not going to hurt you," Sakura said, letting a smile fall into place on her face, "We're trying to keep you from scaring to badly but you keep moving. If you want to lesson the scaring then please hold still." The boy panted around Sasuke's arm, Sakura took his wide eyes and still body as the go-ahead sign and finished stitching the more dangerous looking scratch.

"One down, four to go," Sakura murmured as she cut the thread and sanitized some more carefully, "Please hold still, this one is in a tricky spot."

After an hour, Sakura's stitches were complete and both of her teammates lifted themselves off the boy, even helping him sit up as Sakura pulled out disinfectant and bandages. Another fifteen minutes and the boy's face was half covered in the bandages while the other half was covered in dirt from his fall and Sasuke's not so gentile way of keeping him still.

"You'll have to change the bandages tomorrow morning," Sakura said handing over a few extra bandages and some ointment to the boy's trembling hands, "And whenever it gets too bloody but I don't think you'll have to worry too much about it."

"Have you done many stitching before?" he asked softly, his one good eye roaming to lock onto the large cat sitting patiently nearly by

"Not the kind of stitching your thinking of," Sakura admitted, packing up her equipment carefully, "I used to help dad with his stitching projects... later mom taught me some more advanced sowing."

"Are we done here?" Sasuke asked grumpily, rubbing at the bit marks on his wrist

"Yeah," Sakura nodded and pulled her pack back into place; she glanced back at the wounded boy and hesitated slightly. "You should properly get to a real medic soon... I don't know if any damage was done to your eye, you need to have a professional look at it." With that Team seven were rushing away, the cat quickly caught up to them and slid Sakura over it's back gracefully and jumped into the trees forcing Naruto and Sasuke to follow.

…

* * *

…

Kakashi smiled as he found his students standing before him, it had only been a few hours since they entered the forest; the sun hadn't even finished setting yet. His team was the first leaf team to arrive.

"I have a question for you three," Kakashi said, raising a hand to stop Naruto from jumping into a loud complaint. "What the hell is that?" Kakashi asked, pointing at the large red-ish orange-ish cat that Sakura was sitting on like the large cat was actually a horse.

"_She_ was Auntie's present," Sakura answered with a smile, "I think she's a girl..." the cat gave out a loud purr that Kakashi swore he could feel rumble up his feet.

"Uh-huh" Kakashi sighed, as if he was unconvinced, "You're Aunt wouldn't happen to be a..." Kakashi paused to search for the right words to describe the woman he was thinking about, sadly he didn't come up with anything. "A blonde who works as the receptionist at the academy would she?"

"You know Aunt Nana?" Sakura asked curiously, blinking at Kakashi dumbly

"...You could say that," Kakashi sighed and slumped his shoulders, now understanding where Sakura got her temper from. He had been late _once_ with Nana, once was enough to make him never be late to whatever was related to _her_ ever again.

"So? Did we win this round?" Naruto asked impatiently

"You arrived early," Kakashi answered, "You'll have to wait until Day five to see if there'll be a prelim round"

"A prelim?" Sakura questioned

"Yeah, technically any hidden village can hold a preliminary round in whatever round they want to," Kakashi shifted, his good eye staying locked on the... the cat (?) "This is to thin out the participants for the final round, which'll get held in front of an audience."

"Okay so what about the poem?" Sasuke asked, looking behind Kakashi

"Oh that?" Kakashi asked, not even looking behind himself, "That's something the third came up with years ago. The earth is in reference to your body and the heaven is in reference to your mind, a true shinobi can use both and will eventually get noticed for having both aspects."

"Oh you mean like combining the physical and spiritual aspects of chakra to get Ninjutsu?" Sakura asked with a smile

"I guess that's a good example too," Kakashi chuckled, "now let's get you guys to the medic hall, you look as if you could use it."

"Right!" Kakashi let the boys lead the way through the doors as he followed just behind Sakura, his eyes scanning over the large cat curiously.

"Sakura" Kakashi called, stepping up to her side

"Yeah sensei?" Sakura asked, tilting her head to look up at him

"You're safe enough now, you can send your summon back now"

"Summon?" Sakura asked dumbly, "When did I get a summon?" Kakashi stilled in the hallway, frowning at Sakura as the cat stopped and looked back at him with narrowed green eyes.

"Sakura... do you know anything about that cat?" Kakashi asked hesitantly, noting how the cat's eye narrowed further and a deep growl rumbled from deep inside it's chest

"Just that Aunty had her sealed into that red box," Sakura answered, petting the cat's head reassuringly "She said to open it only if I needed some extra help in the second round."

"Nana gave you the red box?" Kakashi asked, his eye widening slightly, the cat hissed warningly at him, turning to face him and crouching lowly

"Shhh, girl" Sakura murmured running her hands over the top of the large cat's head, "It's okay, he's my teacher, he means you no harm." The cat glared at him and turned away with a huff, Sakura bobbed her head at Kakashi with a reassuring smile as the cat took her down the hall and towards her two waiting teammates.

…

"_I was merely following his pleas," she whispered into the dark night, unfazed by the heavy rain pounding against her body, "I care not for who lives nor for who dies."_

…

_Sakura,_ Kakashi sighed as he followed behind his boys quietly, _You don't understand the creature you've befriended..._

…

* * *

…

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to review!**

**Page 15**


	4. Chapter 4

**A trick up his sleeve**

Chapter 4: Prelims

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

…

_F#&amp;ing figures,_ Sakura thought as she jumped back and skidded to halt beside her two teammates, effectively avoiding the kunai aimed at her. An hour after her teacher left them, a strange black haired man jumped out of nowhere and smacked Naruto away from Sasuke. Sakura had been a few feet away tending to her pet's fur when it happened, so she didn't notice the strange man until the cat jumped forward with a furious roar and Naruto smashed into her side. Now Naruto was out like a light, Sasuke was panting in exhaustion and she was trying to ignore the throbbing in her arm.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked as her giant cat returned to her side, snarling at the black haired man

"Hmmm, interesting..." the man grumbled, watching her cat curiously "I had hoped to fight with you in the forest but you came here so quickly, I was forced to change my plans..."

"Quite stalling and answer the damn question!" Sasuke hissed, lowering his stance and holding two kunai threatening before his person.

"Hmm? Oh my name's Orochimaru," the man chuckled when he saw Sasuke and Sakura flinch in recognition, yes the academy taught their students to run first and ask questions later in regards to the twisted snake Sanin. The cat yowled furiously and hurried over to Naruto, flinging him over her shoulder and swiping her tail at Sasuke and Sakura, getting their attention before she bound away.

"Right, let's go!" Sakura ordered, grabbing Sasuke's arm and running after her cat hurriedly

"I hope you don't think I'll just let you go!" Orochimaru chuckled out giving chase to them

_We're not going to make it,_ Sakura thought with a hiss, glancing at Sasuke she nodded her head in silent agreement. Sasuke spun around and through a few rigged kunai and shiriken at Orochimaru, quickly followed by a fire jutsu.

"Chicho!" Sakura shouted out hurriedly, flinging the name out without a second thought, "Take Naruto to the infirmly and get help! Make as much noise as you can!" The newly named cat took in a deep breath and gave out a deafening roar, forcing Sakura and Sasuke to clutch at their ears as Orochimaru staggered back from the force of the roar, his disguise melting from his body immanently.

"Good girl," Sakura praised as the cat bound down the hall, turning to put her back to Sasuke's with kunai knifes in both hands.

"Help won't reach you in time," Orochimaru warned, forming a few hand signs, "You don't have the talent to hold me back!"

"We don't know if we don't try!" Sasuke snapped back glaring at the wall of serpents that burst from Orochimaru's sleeves.

_Talent?_ Sakura thought as she and Sasuke separated to avoid the wave of snakes, confusion filling her. What would talent have anything to do with it? Sasuke was the rookie of the year, best at Taijutsu and she... she had chakra control... That was _her_ talent, now if only she could figure out how to use it to her advantage...

_Damn it,_ Sakura thought with a hiss as she found herself surrounded by the wall of snakes, just beyond it she could make out Orochimaru and Sasuke clashing in an advanced Taijutsu and weapon forms. _How to get out, how to get out..._

Quick like a flash of lightning, the snakes lunged at her and Sakura moved automatically, her chakra moving of it's own accord, filling her kunai knifes until they glowed hauntingly.

The wall of snakes was down before any could get within four feet of her

Ten minutes later a swarm of Jonin arrived but they were too late

The training room Sasuke and Sakura had taken Orochimaru into looked like a blood bath. Sasuke was on the ground curled up into a ball and clutching at his shoulder in pain; Sakura was imbedded into the far wall, bleeding profusely from the hundreds of cuts that littered her body.

It looked like Orochimaru targeted her to get her out of the way before he focused on Sasuke

…

* * *

…

The second day of the examines had Sakura sitting the hospital wing waiting for a medic to finish healing her, Naruto was still knocked out in his own bed and Sasuke had been taken to the intensive care unit; leaving Sakura to stare dumbly at her teacher. Kakashi was leaning against the far wall with Nana's collar held in one hand, keeping the blonde from running right out of the room.

"Are you serious?" Sakura asked from the bed she was sitting in, her newest pet was growling warningly at the foot of her bed. _You really want her gone that bad?_

"Yes I'm serious," Kakashi sighed before turning to glare at the blonde beside him "Will you stop running already?"

"Let me go!" Nana whined in answer

"Tell her about that abomination before I do," Kakashi retorted, earning another warning growl from the large cat

"You'll paint a bad picture for her!" Nana snapped out, turning to glare up at Kakashi

"Then start painting a _reasonable_ picture," Kakashi replied coldly

"You guys are so weird," Sakura sighed patting her leg to draw the cat's attention. "Come here Chicho, Sensei won't hurt you."

"Chicho?" Nana questioned dumbly, looking at Sakura as the cat turned with a huff and put her massive paws on to the bed and setting her just as massive head in Sakura's lap.

"I couldn't come up with anything else" Sakura answered with a blush "her coat is as red as blood but she's really graceful... I didn't want to insult her with a bad name but she's not exactly the feminine type..."

"So Chicho was the best you could come up with?" Kakashi asked with a twitching eyebrow, Sakura giggled in answer, scratching at her cheek nervously "_Nana_" Kakashi hissed with a pointed look at the blonde beside him, "_tell her_."

"Fine," Nana sighed, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall beside Kakashi, letting him release her. "Sakura-chan do you know what bread of cat... um, _Chicho_, is?"

"Oh no, I don't," Sakura answered as if she just remembered something, "That's right Aunty you gave me the red box, do you know what breed she is? I tried to figure it out my self... but she looks kind-a like a hash-mash of different breeds." The cat huffed as if insulted, "Sorry Chicho, but you really do; like all the best parts of the different feline world were squashed together to form you." Chicho looked at her for a moment before she started purring loudly, rubbing her head against Sakura's hand; which just made the pinkette giggle.

"She's a chimera," Nana said suddenly, her voice making the room sound oddly quiet. "She's the rarer form of the ancient chimera"

"Chimera?" Sakura repeated, looking down at the red cat laying in her lap, "um... I thought Chimera's had a lion's head, a goat's body and a serpent's tail?"

"Most do" Nana agreed easily, ignoring the giant cat's glare, "Just not the ones born in spring."

"...Aunty why don't you start from the beginning?" Sakura suggested with a sigh, her hand not stopping in the reassuring stroking of Chicho's head

"Alright," Nana sighed, "Each Haruno has a guardian of sorts. There is an animal in this world, somewhere, that is meant to stand by our side for all of eternity—"

"Like the Inuzuka?" Sakura questioned

"Yeah, kind-a like them" Nana agreed softly. "However, unlike the Inuzuka, most of our relatives can only find their guardians at death's door step, some are saved and others aren't. For example, in your line, your father was the first in about three generations; _you_ are the second."

"Dad had a guardian?" Sakura asked with a frown, obviously wanting to ask a few questions

"Yes, and like most in our family who do find their guardian, he didn't find his until it was too late" Nana said, preventing Sakura from continuing. "Sakura-chan... where you ever told how your father died?"

"Just that he died on a mission," Sakura answered with a shrug, "he separated from his teammates to give them enough time to return to the village. Unfortunately two of his teammates passed away along the way and his third teammate had to retire because of his wounds."

"About that mission," Nana shifted uncomfortably, "it was to retrieve that little red box I gave you. You see she had been stolen and your father left after the thief to get it back, his teammates followed after him because... because that's what teammates do..."

"Dad's mission... was to get Chicho?" Sakura questioned softly, her hand pausing in her stroking, her eyes wide

"Yes..." Nana answered just as softly, "Some how during the struggle, your father dropped the box and it opened. According to the surviving teammate, he begged... your father begged Chicho to save his teammates in return for his own life. Chicho... didn't quite agree but she didn't disagree either..."

"...She didn't stop him," Sakura sighed looking down at the seemingly pouting cat in her lap, her eyes filling with tears, "I-I think I-I need some ti-time... to-to think..."

"Of course," nana sighed, throwing a dirty look at Kakashi, "I'll help you train with... with _Chicho_ after the examines..."

"If she makes it to the final rounds _I'll_ be handling her training," Kakashi growled as he pushed Nana further out of the room

"Don't trust me?" Nana asked with a sad looking a grin, _not even you can know the secrets of our family_

"I don't trust your teaching"

"Stay Chicho," Sakura whispered when the large cat started to move away, "I-I didn't mean you... please stay..." the cat put her head and paws back onto Sakura's lap, huffing as Sakura buried her face into her crimson coat

"Daddy," Sakura sniffed, "Daddy... he-he d-died f-for y-you..." Sakura started crying, her grip tightening on the large cat, her voice broken as she wailed in Chicho's neck.

_I'm sorry little one_, Chicho thought, purring loudly so Sakura would have something to fall asleep too

…

"_I hate you!" she wailed into the darkness of the night, "Why did you leave him?! You could have brought him home! You could have saved him!"_

…

_I'm sorry little one,_ Chicho pulled back slightly as Sakura fell slight, tears still dripping passed her eyes. Huffing, Chicho gently nudged Sakura back in the bed, careful of her wounds, and pulled the blankets a little higher. _In your father's memory, I'll protect you... even if you still hate me..._

…

* * *

…

The third day of the second round had Sakura smiling at Naruto as he tried to joke with her. They both jumped at Sasuke's voice, immanently welcoming the boy and drawing him into a tight hug. Sakura and Sasuke then told Naruto about what happened the first day and why he had been out for so long. Sasuke then told them that Orochimaru had placed a mark on him, a mark that only had a one-in-ten chance of survival. After the examines he would have to start training with Anko, the proctor of the second round, because she had the same mark and she would be able to help with the side effects of the curse mark.

…

* * *

…

The fourth day Sakura and Sasuke had both been released from the medical hall and both went straight to their rooms for clothes then followed Naruto into the nearest arena for a quick spare between them. About an hour later, they were interrupted by the Sound team they saw in the first round. The Kunochi burst forward without any warning and snatched up Sakura's hair tightly, yanking her back to sit on the ground with a wince and hiss; her two teammates immanently burst forward to stand protectively in front of her with smirks and ready stances.

"Sorry for the interruption, we just couldn't help ourselves," the sound Kunochi chuckled, shaking Sakura's head with a smirk, "We thought we could join your little training exercise."

"Let go," Sakura grunted, wincing at the sound kunochi's tight grip

"Hmm... good idea Kin," the bandaged boy said stepping forward "Let's train together; we'll be facing off eventually anyways..."

"Let go of Sakura," Sasuke ordered with narrowed eyes, keeping Naruto back from doing anything stupid

"How about..." Kin smirked and tugged harshly on Sakura's long hair, "A captured teammate exercise? You boys try to get her from me, my boys protect me, your little kitty stays out of it and I keep this one" Kin shook Sakura's head harshly "as a hostage. Sound good?"

"Doesn't Sakura get to try and escape?" Naruto asked with hands fisted at his side, Chicho standing on his other side, growling and crouched lowly

"Of course," Kin rolled her dark eyes at them, "but I doubt this little doll will get far—"

"Shut up!" Sakura snapped, taking hold of her kunai and holding it out in front of her self

"I hope you don't think that'll work—"

"I'm not a doll!" Sakura snapped, sliding her kunai knife through her hair and quickly rose to her feet, swinging a kick out at the tall girl and quickly followed it with a punch. The cat roared and jumped forward to help Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke quickly jumped at the two boys, all grins and smirks as they took Sakura's cue, going all out on the sound team and holding nothing back. An hour later Lee barged in on them with his own team; not realizing that Sasuke's Sharingan was activated and copied the move Lee planned to use on Sasuke before the first round.

It took Kakashi jumping in with a few other Jonin to stop the 'spare'; which got Team 7 and Lee a scolding of the lifetime from Kakashi. Despite the scolding and the threats from the adults, Sasuke couldn't help but feel proud about breaking the one boy's arms while at the same time getting the time to copy Lee's Taijutsu attach when he jumped in to help Sakura when Dosu turned his attach on her. Sakura couldn't drop her smile because she and Chicho landed a few good hits on Kin, Naruto was pouting because Dosu took him out first so he missed most of the fight.

…

* * *

…

The fifth day of the second round had the various passing teams of the second round lined up, all waiting for Noon to arrive so that the time limit would end and they could continue with the chunin examines. So far, the teams that had arrived and had to line up in order: the only Suna team, team Seven, the sound team, Neji's team, team eight, Kabuto's team and the last had yet to arrive—the same team they were currently waiting for. Now Sakura stood beside the two older kunochi of Suna and Oto with short choppy hair and long bangs that were seriously starting to annoy her. Sakura sighed in her place, brushing her bangs back again; really did she have to come in last? Even the brunet on Neji's team and Hinata were standing in the center of their teams!

"Now that we're all here," Sakura twitched at the booming voice; did the last team come in already? Turning to look at where the last team would have had to stand, she stepped back slightly and found herself staring into a pair of familiar baby-blue eyes.

_Great_, Sakura thought with a sigh, returning to her place and tried to focus on the Hokage. Of course team ten would arrive next, Ino always had to be fashionably late.

…

* * *

…

Gaara turned on his heals and followed Kankuro and Temari to the other side of the arena, he couldn't help the twitch in his eye when he passed Sakura. The chakra he left behind in her the previous week reacted to his presence and tried to return to him, that wasn't a problem before and he couldn't help but wonder what the problem was now.

When he glanced at Sakura, unable to stop the action, he saw that her face was red and her eyes were wide and locked onto his own. He stepped passed her and continued after his siblings, trying to ignore the chakra he left behind. It sounded like Sakura might have tried to follow him but that lurching sound said that one of her teammates jerked her in the opposite direction, which he was thankful for.

…

* * *

…

Sakura sighed as she leaned against the railing, her eyes locked onto her teammate in the arena. She was unsure of what she would do against her own opponent, there were too many possibilities and candidates; some opponents would require her new pet's help (almost everyone there) and others wouldn't (Ino and Chōji). The worst part was that she didn't have much practice with the giant cat that now sat beside her watching the fight as if in boredom.

"Well Chicho what do you think?" Sakura asked, her hand dropping to pet the cat absent mindedly, "Who's gonna win this round?" She didn't expect the cat to answer her, she smiled as the cat purred and thumped against her leg reassuringly, leaning against her like a dog might lean against his owner. It took a while, and Sasuke gave them a fright when the curse mark started to react, but Sasuke won the fight with out the aid of the mark.

"I'll be right back," Kakashi murmured, disappearing from Sakura's side to right behind Sasuke. Sakura sighed as Kakashi led Sasuke away, again not telling them where he was taking the boy. Looking up at the rolling screen on the other side of the room, Sakura and Naruto watched in boredom as it scrolled through names too fast to read. The next round was another sound Nin named Zaku against Shino, again Chicho looked at the fighters and turned away with a huff, as if disappointed. Sakura understood about five minutes later when Zaku's arms gave out on him and passed out do to the pain of Shino's bugs in the holes in the palms of his hands.

_Ting, ting—bing!_

_Temari_

_Vs_

_Tenten_

_This should be interesting_, Sakura thought as she watched the brunet girl from Neji's team jump over the railing almost at the same time as the blonde. As soon as the proctor coughed out 'start' Tenten jumped back and studied the relaxed blonde with narrowed eyes. It wasn't long before Tenten started to throw her various sharp knifes at Temari—not a single one hit it's mark.

"What the..." Sakura straightened in her slouch, eyes locked on the blonde curiously, ignoring the snort that came from the large cat beside her. Chicho yawned and settled at Sakura's feet, turning her face away and closing her eyes as if the fight was boring—or she already knew the out come. When the match ended barely even five minutes later, Sakura had the creepy feeling that Chicho had been expecting that outcome. Naruto tried to joke about the round but Sakura didn't get the chance to chuckle at him before Kakashi clapped a hand on her shoulder, startling her; looking in the direction he was pointing Sakura stared at the screen dumbly.

_Ino Yamanaka_

_Vs_

_Sakura Haruno_

Sakura glanced at Ino discreetly but the blonde just huffed and walked away, making Chicho growl and march towards the stairs as if she'd deal with the Yamanaka heir. Sakura tried to smile reassuringly at Naruto and Kakashi but it didn't exactly come off that way.

"I hope you have experience with that cat Sakura," Shikamaru murmured as she passed him, "because you'll need it to beat her." Sakura didn't even look at him as she passed, she just kept walking as if she didn't hear him, her eyes locked ahead. When Sakura got to the base of the stairs where Chicho was waiting for her, Sakura ran her hand through the large cat's furry head as she walked forward until she stood before the proctor.

"Sakura get rid of that thing," Ino ordered suddenly, not bothering to let the proctor say anything, "You're not an Inuzuka."

"You're right I'm a Haruno," Sakura retorted, petting Chicho reassuringly as she growled at Ino. "All Haruno's have a guardian, Chicho is mine."

"So where was she before today, huh?" Ino asked with crossed arms and a raised eyebrow, trying to ignore the strange cat's glare

"My life wasn't in danger before this test," Sakura answered calmly, making the proctor and Ino stiffen slightly, "A guardian can only be found when our life is in danger. It's the only way to find them, although it rarely happens, some Haruno's never find their guardian."

"Whatever," Ino sighed with a frown, her eyes locked onto the cat readying itself beside Sakura

"...are you ready?" the proctor asked, both girls nodded, Chicho growling lowly "Go!" he jumped back and it looked like Chicho was going to lunge forward, but Sakura slammed her foot in front of her and wrapped a restraining arm around her neck.

"No Chicho," Sakura murmured, watching how Ino jumped back and readied a Kunai knife. "This is my fight, please go to Sensei's side." Sakura got the feeling that the giant cat was looking at her as if she was an idiot, "Please?" Sakura questioned with a sigh, "it wouldn't be fair otherwise..." the cat studied Sakura for a moment before huffing at her, glaring at Ino it rolled its shoulders and started to glow. Backing away slightly Sakura watched curiously as the large cat shrank into a small kitten, sitting on the gray tile and pouting up at her.

"I didn't know you could shrink" Sakura giggled, crouching to let the Cat jump into her lap, "I don't think I have a spot for you to hide on me..." the cat huffed at her moved into the gap between the folds of her top. "Really?" Sakura asked with a bright blush staining her cheeks, "You couldn't hide in my belt or something?" Sakura questioned when the cat popped it's crimson head back up and meowed cutely up at her, Sakura bowed her head and sighed.

Point one for cuteness—zero points for Sakura

"I think that's about as close to a boyfriend as you'll ever get, billboard brow" Ino taunted, laughter dancing in her eyes

_If only you knew_, Gaara couldn't help but think as he watched them in boredom

"Ino-pig!" Sakura growled out, her brow twitching wildly as she glared at the blonde

"Can't handle the truth?" Ino asked with grin

"Oh shut up!" Sakura shouted throwing three shiriken at the blonde while she followed close behind making a few hand signs while she was at it. Ino blocked the thrown blades easily but she couldn't tell which one was the real Sakura until all three pinkette's were upon her. Two exploded and Sakura gave out a loud shout as her fist burst through the smoke and slammed into Ino's jaw, sending the blonde flying and rolling to a stop several feet away. It wasn't long before the blonde and pinkette where switching hits, Sakura doing an increasable amount of painful looking twisting to dodge a punch or kick.

"What the hell!" Ino shouted in agitation as she swept back from Sakura's kick, "I used to beat you all the time! Why can't I now?!" Apparently, Sakura's flexibility was agitating the blonde to no end

"No," Sakura brought down an Ax-kick on the blond, quickly followed by another punch "Confidence!" Ino grunted as she blocked the fist but found herself skidding back words anyways

"Says the girl who used to hide behind me!" Ino snapped out, swinging a kick at the pinkette

"Never again!" Sakura retorted, ducking and throwing a punch to the inside of Ino's thigh then spun to slam a hit to her exposed back. "I'll never hide behind you ever again," Sakura hissed as Ino coughed and held onto her back with a wince, "I'm tried of standing in your shadow."

"Then get a lower light," Ino shot with a smirk, her thinking was that the lower the set of the light the longer the shadow—Sakura didn't quite catch on.

"...did that punch earlier boggle your brain or something?" Sakura asked straight faced

"Oh shut up I'll explain it later!" Ino snapped throwing a few kunai at Sakura and rushing her again

"Ch" Sakura blocked the kunai and ducked under Ino's swing, slamming one foot down the side of Ino's leg and sending a glowing fist into the blonde's rib cage. Because Sakura was standing on the blonde's foot, Ino immanently slammed into the grown like a tower that tipped over. Sakura blinked dumbly down at Ino, not thinking that she had punched her so hard, looking up at the proctor Sakura nudged Ino's foot cautiously.

"Please tell me I didn't kill her," Sakura murmured with a pale face to the proctor, just as he shifted to move closer, Ino snapped her hand out, sending several kunai out to slam against Sakura. Sakura gasped and quickly moved away from the blonde as she struggled to get back up. She kneeled on the gray tile and grasped the kunai in her side tightly; panting, Sakura slowly pulled the kunai out, careful not to twist it or cut anything else. Ino coughed from her place, spitting a bit of blood out from when she bit her tong; struggling to her feet, Ino wrapped an arm around her stomach and braced herself against her other knee with a trembling arm.

"Still not smart enough," Ino taunted with a smirk kneeling on the ground, Ino raised her hands and focused on Sakura, "Soul switch."

"She's done for," Asuma smiled at the fight below him

"Hmm... I'm not so sure about that," Kakashi murmured thoughtfully, "You forget that Sakura's newest pet is sitting in her shirt, there's a possibility that Ino possessed the cat and not Sakura."

Asuma stared at Kakashi before he looked down at Ino's limp body, then studied Sakura carefully; he couldn't tell if Sakura was possessed or if the strange cat was. His question was answered when Sakura suddenly stiffened, the cat hissing and jumped out of her blouse as she rose to her feet.

"I, Sakura Haruno,—" Sakura's voice cut off as the cat pit Ino's arm, "Ow! Damn cat!" Asuma smirked at Kakashi, now sure that Ino had possessed Sakura.

"Sakura wake up!" Naruto shouted as the cat yanked on Ino's arm, creating a long slash on her arm "You're better then that!"

"Quite biting me damn it!" 'Sakura' snapped glaring at the cat and clutching her left arm as if it hurt, suddenly she hissed and gripped at her head as if in pain.

"It's useless," Asuma murmured to himself as he watched the murmuring girl, "No one can break the Yamanaka's possession jutsu..."

"**Release!**" Sakura shouted suddenly

"Sorry did you say something?" Kakashi asked innocently, earning an irritated look from Asuma.

"Quite biting me!" Ino snapped out, waving her arm around until the cat let go and was sent skidding across the tile.

"Chicho!" Sakura shouted out startled at the sight of the kitten struggling to stand again in front of her, Sakura took a few hurried steps forward and wrapped her arms around the slightly larger kitten, preventing the cat from growing to much further.

"Ch, stupid cat!" Ino hissed, throwing a kunai in Sakura's gap in front of the hissing animal. She watched wide-eyed as Sakura suddenly raised to her feet, spinning she clasped Ino's blade and continued moving too fast for Ino to counter.

"_You're the idiot_," Sakura snarled, dragging Ino's kunai along her already bleeding arm and then slamming it into her shoulder, kicking out Ino's leg as she passed. Ino gasped and collapsed to the gray floor, leaning away from the pinkette as she turned to look back at her, the glowing kitten held with one arm to her chest.

"Oh no this is bad!" Kiba hissed from where he stood, his eyes locked onto Sakura, "That's mom's ultimate technique!" Ino panted as she watched Sakura's body started to glow hauntingly, her green orbs shinning brightly as they stared dully down at her, Sakura's kunai was held off to the side and glowing faintly, lengthening the blade an extra three feet.

"What are you talking about?" Kurenai asked with a frown, stiffening when Kiba turned wide dark eyes on her

"That technique is too advanced for her," Kiba said, almost trembling in his place. "If something doesn't get done Sakura and that cat will remain in limbo, Sakura isn't strong enough to handle the cat's instincts! She'll go berserk!"

"This round is over" the proctor's voice boomed, startling Ino but didn't seem to have an effect on Sakura. "Sakura Haruno is the winner..." everyone watched Sakura continued to stare down at Ino, as if she didn't hear the proctor. Every leaf Jonin in the room was moving the second Sakura raised her kunai and let the glow lengthen another two feet. Together, Asuma blocked Sakura's strike with his own glowing blades while Kurenai pulled Ino away, Gai tied up Sakura's limbs, the proctor jumped forward to slam a pressure point on Sakura's wrist to make her let go of the blade and Kakashi had immanently ripped the still glowing cat from her arms and threw it to the other side of the room, away from everyone else. The second the cat was out of her hold, Sakura slumped back words, her eyes rolling into the back of her head and passing out in Gai's hold.

"Too close," Kakashi sighed as he glared at the slumped body of the kitten several dozen feet away. "Thank you Gai," Kakashi murmured, lifting Sakura into his arms as his 'rival' nodded and loosened his hold. The medics entered and quickly gathered Ino onto a stretcher, they were warned about the cat and had purposefully put her into a kennel, Kakashi even put Sakura into her own stretcher before the medics left.

"Kakashi," Kurenai called, stepping forward to glare up at Kakashi, "Will you explain to me why, and how, your student managed to replicate a Jonin level jutsu that's Tsume Inuzuka's signature move?"

"If I knew how it happened I would," Kakashi answered with a slump, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "unfortunately Sakura only received that demonic feline a few days ago, she's only been practicing Taijutsu moves with the cat, not Jutsu." _I do know that I'll have to have a serious chat with Nana though... _Naruto nodded at Kakashi as he followed Sakura to the hospital wing, understanding that he could leave after his own round.

_Ting, ting... ting, ting—bing!_

_Shikamaru Nara_

_VS._

_Kin_

The next round was Shikamaru against one of the sound Nin, however, the fight didn't last long, almost the same amount of time as Temari's and Tenten's fight. Shikamaru was able to use his shadow possession jutsu and trapped the girl, shortly after he was able to knock the girl out because she wasn't aware of her own surroundings. Kakashi was still gone when it was Chōji's turn against the last Sound member, Naruto actually flinched at the sharp whistle of Dosu's attach hitting Chōji head on; poor Chōji was escorted away with the promise of food to help him recover from the attach.

_Ting, ting, ting..._

_Come on already_, Naruto thought with a glare at the screen

_Ting_

_Kiba Inuzuka_

_Vs._

_Come on..._ Naruto's glare didn't lesson on the screen, he'd fight anyone if it meant getting to his teammates quickly

_Ting, ting... ting—bing!_

_Naruto Uzumaki_

"Bo-yea!" Naruto cheered loudly as he hurried to the stairs with an irate Kiba close behind, "I'm goanna win this one!" _To stand beside them..._

"The hell you will!" Kiba snapped sliding down the railing with Akamaru still in his coat; Naruto made a startled sound and hurried down the stairs to catch up. Kakashi appeared just in time to watched in boredom as the two boys started off with verbal insults before moving on into physical fighting; in total, Kakashi couldn't become really impressed with the fight until five minutes later when Naruto was actually able to fight back.

He used transformation to look like Kiba, then dispersed into Akamaru, when Kiba turned on Akamaru and was still confused when the jutsu let go, Kakashi couldn't help but smile when Naruto jumped up in Akamaru's form and bit Kiba. He watched patiently as Naruto formed his hand sign and... and let out gas.

_Whatever works.._. Kakashi thought with a sigh. After that Naruto's version of lion barrage came off pretty good, landing a kick to Kiba's head just in time to smash his face into the hard stone floor, nearly breaking it.

"Winner! Naruto Uzumaki!" Kakashi smiled as Naruto jumped up and down excitedly

"Oh!" Naruto shouted, freezing with his arms still raised high as a thought occurred to him, "Sakura-chan!"

"Hold it Naruto" Kakashi sighed, quickly appearing beside Naruto and holding him back by the scruff of his jacket before the boy could get out the door.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto shouted with wide eyes

"Sakura-chan is just fine," Kakashi said before Naruto could ask, "She needs all the sleep she can get so why don't you stay here and be moral support everyone else?"

"...Hmmm...Fine," Naruto sighed and slumped slightly

_Ting, ting, ting_

"Oh! Who's next?!"

_He's not ADHD at all_, Kakashi though sarcastically as he turned to go up the stairs

_Ting, ting—bing!_

_Neji Hyūga_

_Vs._

_Hinata Hyūga_

Kakashi glanced at the shy child then at her older relative, his eye narrowing at the boy's colder then usual white eyes.

…

* * *

…

Gaara was tempted to just leave the arena if he didn't get to fight soon, it was agitating how many people were so pathetically weak that none of their matches lasted more then five or six minutes, even Sakura's lasted thirteen minutes while Temari's had lasted barely five and Kankuro's was over in seconds, it wasn't even worth watching. While the fight below him was curious because of their relation, Gaara already knew that the boy would win—it was just a manner of time.

As he thought, the Hyūga fight lasted about ten minuets before the girl had to be hurried out of the arena for heart surgery. As he watched the board go through the names, he thought about who had gone already, when he realized that only he and one other hadn't gone yet he formed a hand sign and waited down in the arena, his eyes looking up at the screen for his opponent's name to show.

_Ting, ting—bing!_

_Gaara_

_Vs_

_Rock Lee_

"Yosh! Finally it's my turn!" Gaara stared dully at the green clad boy, not quite believing that he had to fight him

"That's it Lee! Let the power of youth be with you!"

He really hoped this didn't last long, he didn't think he could continue to stare at that green abomination much longer without going blind

…

* * *

…

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to review!**

**Page 16**


	5. Chapter 5

**A trick up his sleeve**

Chapter 4: The following month

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

…

Sakura coughed as she woke up, feeling something warm but heavy on her chest. Blinking and pushing herself up, Sakura winced as the thing on her chest rolled off into her lap. Chuckling Sakura petted the kitten version of Chicho, noting how her ribs were wrapped tightly, sighing Sakura looked up and studied her new surroundings.

_What happened?_ Sakura thought with a frown, noting how she was in the medic wing of the tower.

…

"_Chicho!" She shouted, startled at the sight of the kitten struggling to stand again in front of her, She hurried forward and wrapped her arms around the slightly larger kitten, preventing the cat from growing to much further._

"_Stupid cat"_

…

_Huh_, Sakura sighed and leaned back slightly, eyes trailing to look out the window while one of her hands petted the still sleeping kitten. _How strange..._

"Oi brat you awake yet?!" Sakura flinched at the loud feminine voice, turning to look in the direction it came from Sakura watched as a not so pleased looking woman yanked the curtains aside and glared at her. "It's about damn time brat, what did you think you could sleep the week away or something?" The woman had shaggy black hair and slitted black eyes, deeply tanned skin and crimson upside down triangles on her cheeks, a large black wolf with one eye stood at her side.

"I'm sorry," Sakura murmured softly, blinking dumbly at the tall woman looking irately at her; petting Chicho reassuringly when she lifted her head and hissed at the woman threateningly which earned a warning growl from the woman's black wolf, "I think you've got the wrong room..."

"You Sakura Haruno?" the woman questioned with crossed arms and an unimpressed look

"Yes ma'am,"

"Then you're the right brat," she snapped out, eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm told you mimicked my human-beast body bind..."

"...Your what?" Sakura asked dumbly

"The technique you did in the prelims," the woman said slowly with a raised eyebrow

"Which technique?" Sakura questioned tilting her head to the side, "I did lots of techniques in the prelims... could you be more specific?" the woman stared at Sakura as if she had two heads, suddenly her wolf huffed and the woman's eyes narrowed at Sakura, making Chicho growl weakly from her lap.

"Shhh, girl," Sakura murmured to the cat, petting her head affectionately, "I think she's a friend..."

"Hay mom what's taking you so long?" Sakura looked up at the familiar voice and found Kiba peeking around his mother to look at her, "Sakura? You're still here?"

"What'd you mean, 'still here'?" Sakura asked with a frown, "What happened to my fight?" Kiba and the woman shared a confused look,

"Sakura," Kiba started slowly, turning his curious black eyes onto her, "What's the last thing you remember?"

"The last thing?" Sakura repeated slowly with a frown, her hand stilling as she thought, "Just diving to cover Chicho from Ino's kunai... everything's dark after that..." Sakura sighed and slumped in her bed, "I take it I lost the round."

"Nope" Kiba looked up at his mother, not sure if he liked that glint in her dark eyes, "You won the match. Want to see what you missed three days ago?"

"Three day? I've been out for three days?" Sakura asked with a frown, returning to petting Chicho absentmindedly, _It feels like a few hours..._ "What happened to the match?"

"You kicked Ino's ass," Kiba chuckled, "Ow!"

"Language!" the woman snapped out, glaring at Kiba as he rubbed at his sore head

"Um... I have a question," Sakura spoke up, now looking between the two as if something had just accord to her, _Several but the others can wait_..."I'm sorry miss, but I don't know your name... could you tell me?"

"Sure, my name is Tsume Inuzuka," the woman smirked down at Sakura, putting one hand on her cocked hip, "And I'm this brat's mother."

"I see," Sakura murmured looking back and forth between the two, "I don't know why I didn't see it before, he's almost identical to you..."

"Are you saying I look a girl?!" Kiba asked loudly turning to glare at Sakura with a twitching eyebrow

"Nothing of the sort," Sakura chuckled, a smile twitching at her lips, "I'm just saying that someone would have to be blind not to see your relation."

"The red marks help!" Tsume chuckled

"It's more then just the red marks," Sakura replied, "Everyone in your clan has those. I'm saying you both have the same nose and cheek structure, even your hair color and style is the same."

_Structures?_ Tsume thought, not hiding her smile as Kiba launched himself at Sakura's bed side and started argue stubbornly that he didn't look anything like his mother. _She'd be good as a medic... or maybe..._ a hundred different possibilities flitted through Tsume's mind as she watched Kiba and Sakura argue about his looks which eventually led to Sakura's.

"My pink hair came from father," Sakura said with a frown, making Kiba flinch and Tsume perk up slightly. "Daddy was rather proud of it... said it made us stand out..."

_Ah, now I know why you look so familiar_, Tsume sighed, she remembered the day that idiot Chunin delivered the black envelope to the Haruno's _at the_ _academy_ instead of at their house. That idiot had been chewed out seven ways from Monday by every parent there and every little kid flinched at Mebuki's bone chilling wail as she collapsed and cried, eventually taking hold of Sakura with trembling arms. After that, Kiba told her it had became kind of silent rule at the school—no one talked about the dead and especially not about Sakura's father.

_Interesting girl_, Tsume thought turning on her heal and snapping at the children to catch up or get left behind. _You'd be proud of your girl... Kizashi..._

…

* * *

…

"Hold up Sasuke," Kakashi called, stopping the boy from charging at the rock surface a third time

"What's up Kakashi?" Sasuke questioned, turning to look at the older man curiously

"You can come out now," Kakashi said instead, turning to look at a large out crop of rock, "You're reeking of blood lust..." _And something else..._

"Huh? What do you want?" Sasuke asked, watching Gaara step out from behind the rock "What the hell are you doing here?"

"...You have the same eyes as I do," Gaara answered, "yet... I do not see what you fight for... what do you fight for? What is your reason for living?" Sasuke was quiet before he answered, his eyes hardening on the red head

"None of you concern," Sasuke finally answered coldly, Gaara looked at him for a moment before he turned on his hell, intending to walk away. "And one more thing before you go," Gaara stopped, turning to look back at Sasuke almost curiously

…

"_Sasuke... Keep an eye out for that red head from Suna," Kiba advised, the same day he arrived he sniffed him out just to tell him to be careful of a boy he already knew to stay away from? "He wants something from Sakura."_

"_What?" Sasuke hissed sitting a little straighter in his bed_

"_I don't know what he wants, but..." Kiba trailed off hesitantly, "We heard his siblings ask him what Sakura would think of him... if he chose to kill us... his words were cold but I caught a different scent off him at the mention of her..."_

"_What'd you smell?" Sasuke asked hesitantly, not sure if he wanted to know; Kiba's bright red face wasn't helping him in his decision_

"_He... he's attracted to her..." Kiba stammered out "it was faint and covered up with a bunch of other scents but I could make out Sakura's... I-I think he's been to her house..."_

…

"Stay the hell away from my teammate," Sasuke ordered, his voice low with warning and his eyes glinting hard with fury "I don't know what you want from her, but—"

"Heh," Gaara smirked at him, letting himself turn to dust before Sasuke could finish his sentence

…

* * *

…

"Come on purvey sage what kind of exercise is this?!" Naruto whined to the older white haired man in front of him

"It's a-a trust exercise" Jiraya grinned, pulling one hand back, "Go ahead, lift up your arms... higher... higher... good."

_Thw~a~ck_

Naruto should have known better then to trust Jiraya... at least he could walk on water now

…

* * *

…

"You don't have to follow me Kiba," Sakura whined as she stepped into her room, Chicho still held in her arms, "I think I can walk on my own now." Sakura didn't notice how he stopped in the door way with wide eyes, sighing Sakura gently laid her cat on the bed and quickly grabbed her travel bag.

"Hay Sakura..." Kiba mumbled eyes traveling around her room carefully

"Yeah?" Sakura turned to see that Kiba's eyes were on her closet, "Oh can you still smell the blood? It's my neighbor's pets, don't worry about it, they're already dead."

"Oh yeah, you said they were the reason for your wardrobe change, right?" Kiba asked, turning to examine the rest of the room

"Yeah," Sakura opened her drawers under her bed and quickly filled the bag with her essentials then she moved onto her closet, "Dang it... mom" Sakura sighed at the sight of the different outfits hanging in her closet.

"Hay that black one is pretty cute," Kiba chuckled with a grin, earning an irritated look

"Now if only _you_ were the girl," Sakura smirked back, delighted in Kiba's annoyed look. "These are some of dad's clothes, the ones he made for me..." Sakura pulled out the kimono top and smiled at the golden thread that laced through the edges of the sleeves, just beneath them was another thread, a softer and thinner silk thread that weaved the seals into the cloth, allowing her to hide the storage seals. "Dad was really good at sowing those seals..."

"Wasn't your dad the one who came up with that one communication seal sowed into head bands for undercover agents?" Kiba asked, eyes racking over the different but similar looking tops and dresses.

"Yeah, he did," Sakura smiled and set the black top aside, reaching over she picked out the several matching shirts in different shades of crimson.

"Please tell me you're not going to grab those dresses and two layered skirts," Kiba piped up, making Sakura arch a curious brow at him, "Mom will destroy them when she sees them."

"Don't say that!" Tsume snapped out, thumping Kiba on the back of his head, "Go ahead and wear your skirts and dresses Sakura-chan, I won't destroy them." Tsume smiled at Sakura, ignoring Kiba's disbelieving look, "Your father and I were friends, he actually came up with Kuroon's eye patch when we were still kids."

"He did?" Sakura questioned, reaching and grabbing blindly for a crimson cloth, not looking at what she was grabbing.

"Yeah, he came up with a lot of things for us main clans," Tsume nodded her head, letting her eyes rack over Sakura's wardrobe. "Hmm... oh! It's best to pick out some simple looking clothing too for the human-beast mimicry technique, the more detailed the cloth the less that gets transferred over in the transformation technique."

"Really? Is that why Kiba always wears that Jacket that makes him look bigger then what he really is?" Sakura asked turning to look at her wardrobe again, careful to grab a few pairs of pants this time.

"If you notice a lot of Inuzuka's dress simply," Tsume chuckled, "Kiba's jacket is actually from his father, he won't be able to grow out of it for a few years."

"I see," Sakura chuckled, reaching over and opening a drawer in her closet

"Oh~ Hay, hay pack this one I wanna see you in it later!" Tsume grinned at the sight of Sakura's old quipo dress... it somehow managed to survive the mice raid without a mark

"I still have that?" Sakura questioned in surprise, sure that the mice had eaten all of her dresses

"I remember when your father made this," Tsume hummed, "We were still kids and none of us were even interested in anyone but he was already making clothes for his future daughter." Sakura's eyes widened at the news, Tsume didn't seem to notice as she held the black dress up for Sakura to see, her eyes dancing in amusement and memory. "He was so tricky back then; he designed the dress then put the seals into it, hiding most of them at the edges of the cloth but also in the body of it in case the edges got torn away."

"Its so... simple," Tsume turned to scold Sakura but she stopped at Sakura's affectionate smile, eyes glued to the simple crimson dress.

"Here," Tsume sighed, passing the cloth over to Sakura, "You should wear this for the final examine..."

"Thank you," Sakura smiled, cradling the cloth as she carefully folded it and gently placed it into a plastic back to keep it nice and folded before setting it carefully into her bag.

"Hay aren't you going to pack any weapons?" Kiba asked, looking around his mother to look at Sakura's full bag of what he assumed to be full of nothing but clothing.

"I already have some in it," Sakura answered turning to tap her toe against the far bottom right drawer, "the rest I put into the seals." Sakura moved to show the flap of her bag had three seals stitched into it.

"You're just like your father!" Tsume laughed, "That man could hide his entire room in his one little bag! It was funny!" Tsume's dark eyes clouded over with memory, nearly tearing up "But... it was also incredibly useful... when we got into a pinch."

"I see," Sakura smiled at the bag affectionately, _Daddy really did leave his mark... he's not forgotten..._

"Come on girl," Tsume sighed, waving her arm at Sakura, "Let's teach you some new tricks."

…

_Her eyes were too wide, her hair falling about her shoulders, slick with her own blood. The too pale skin of her arm was crimson; her violet dress was black with her own blood._

…

"Yeah," Sakura murmured hefting her bag over her shoulder and stooping to gently lift Chicho into her arms and follow the two Inuzuka's to their home. She was glade they showed her how she won her round with Ino but at the same time she was mad that they did, she didn't invasion herself winning that way. In the end, Tsume figured that Chicho had accidentally possessed her when she was trying to heal herself. According to her, it happened sometimes when an older and more experienced canine was placed with a younger and less experienced child.

"There is no future, there is no past," Mebuki murmured, wrapping her arms around Sakura and pressing her forehead to the younger pinkette's.

"Thank God this moment's not the last," Sakura recited with a soft smile, ignoring the confused looks from the two Inuzuka's behind her. It was a saying her father had started with them, a promise of return after a particularly nasty mission he almost didn't come back from. Now Sakura and Mebuki recited it before every mission and again now, when Sakura was off to do some training that would keep her away from her mother for a very long time.

"Make us proud," Mebuki murmured as Sakura turned away and hurried to catch up with her husband's old teammate and her son. Tsume stared at Mebuki for a long moment before sighing and turning away, knowing that no amount of words could comfort that look in the blonde's eyes.

_I promised Kizashi to take care of you,_ Tsume thought, remembering a promise from child hood. Glancing down at Kiba and Sakura as they started to talk animatedly together, smiling and chuckling about various things, Tsume couldn't hide the content smile from surfacing on her face. _I'll start by making sure you survive this..._

…

* * *

…

"Well Tsume, what'd you find?" Kakashi asked, leaning against the rock wall with arms crossed

"Kiba was right about red-head being in her room," Tsume answered slowly, "it was about a week or so old but he was there..."

"...A week ago? The day they met?" Kakashi questioned with a frown "You're holding something back..."

"...I... don't think... she was in when he arrived... in her room," Tsume sighed, closing her eyes and leaning back, trying not to show that she was lying through her teeth "there wasn't any panic in her room, the scents were... calm, pleasant, welcoming..." _don't think about it, he'll figure it out if you do_

"So Sakura's personality," Kakashi chuckled, Tsume tried to smirk but the hardening of his eye said he caught on. "Why was he in her room? There's no way Sakura would have let a complete stranger into her room and Mebuki doesn't let strangers anywhere near her home much less her daughter..." Tsume stiffened slightly as Kakashi's eye bored into her, she could almost see the wheels turning in his head

_Oh no,_ Tsume sighed and closed her eyes

"...Was she asleep when he arrived in her room?" Kakashi's eye turned frigid on Tsume, seeing her not react was the clue he needed to figure out what she knew "...What did he _do_ to her?"

_Crap_

"Tsume," Kakashi called warningly when the woman didn't answer him right away, "Tsume tell me or I'll—"

"Trust me you don't want to know," Tsume interrupted him _I wish __**I**__ didn't know_

"I don't want to know a lot of things but I still know them," Kakashi shot back at in irritation

"... There was..." _think, think, get creative!_ "...the smell of a jutsu performed... a low casted one... like a genjutsu... maybe," _not helping! Damn it girl! Why can't you lie?!_

"...You're stalling..." his breathing was quickening and his eye was filling with disbelieving panic

"And... are you sure you want to know?" Tsume asked, not looking like she was happy about what she knew, "I'm already teaching her how to take care of herself, teaching her what you can't because of the gender differ—"

"_Tsume_"

"Arousal" Tsume sighed, noting the scent of fear spiking in the air around her, "I think he performed a genjutsu on her... and... and" Tsume sighed, unable to finish her sentence, "I don't think she remembers... that kind of thing would change her personality really fast—you'd notice the difference immanently." When Tsume looked up at Kakashi again, he was gone; in the distance she could barely make out his form dancing across the canyon creating chaos wherever he touched.

She did warn him

…

* * *

…

A few days later

…

* * *

…

"Come on! Again!" Sakura panted, her hands braced on her knees and her hair running into her eyes as she stared up at Hana—Kiba's older sister. So far Tsume taught Sakura the correct Hand signs to use for her signature move, Kiba taught her how to speak with Chicho a little more clearly and Hana was currently trying to teach her how to fight with said cat _as_ a cat.

"C-can't we take a small break?" Sakura asked, closing an eye as she stared at the tall brunet. Sakura was a little jealous of Hana, the older girl had the lightest chestnut hair and the softest looking skin she'd ever seen next to her own mother's. But, most of her jealousy was also aimed at the older girl's impressive... well, her chest that didn't seem to hinder her quick movements at all. It had nothing to do with the fact that Hana's hair was waist length, shinny and pretty in every meaning of the word, she was an Anbu captain _and_ she worked with three Inu-Nin as if they were swords and not animals.

"No you have three weeks left to get these moves down and—"

"And we've been at this since you ambushed me at _three in the morning_," Sakura cut the older woman off with an irated look, "We haven't even _eaten_—"

"You should have eaten more at dinner," Hana snickered at her, her light brown eyes dancing mockingly, "Mom and Kiba both suggested that you eat more..."

"I tried but I can't exactly make my stomach grow over night!" Sakura hissed at her

"Okay, break time's over~" Hana grinned and threw a kunai at Sakura, making the pinkette dodge towards Chicho. Together they ran around Hana, watching her carefully as her three Inu-nin covered her blind spots—that didn't stop Sakura from throwing bombs at the dogs first and drawing Hana away from them.

"Chicho-Desa!" Sakura ordered, diving away from her large cat, Sakura summoned her chakra to her blades and parried Hana's own Kunai. She smirked when Hana's eyes widened as Chicho dove for the three wolfs instead of her side like she was expecting. Hana hissed and tried to retreat to her Inu-nin but Sakura kept up her assault, driving Hana further and further away from the three wolfs who were also trying to get a little bit closer to Hana. It was hard work, Chicho and Sakura both sustained heavy wounds as it was but Hana wasn't looking much better when Sakura finally cornered the older girl.

"Cha!" Sakura screamed, slamming a kick into Hana's crossed arms. The block worked for the most part, stunning the older girl and making her slide back a few feet... right into the trap Sakura had set up at some point. Hana cursed as Sakura back flipped away while forming a hand sign, eyes glinting as the explosive tags went off and seemed to consume Hana's body.

…

Tsume was amused when she heard Hana curse and laugh as she ambushed Sakura this morning; who was in nothing but a hastily tied sheet. At least Hana had enough sense to know that they might come across boys that day and had let Sakura get dressed before she dragged her out of the house kicking and screaming. However when her sleepy daughter came down several hours later for breakfast, Tsume was left in more then just a little bit of confusion until Hana murmured out 'clone', 'stupid brat', and something about needing to go to the store later. As it is, both of her sleepy children were slumped over the table chewing slowly with half lidded eyes, Tsume watched amusedly at her children until her daughter flinched harshly, shaking the table and spilling her milk.

"I take it she took out the clone?" Tsume asked with a smirk as Hana set her cup down and crabbed a napkin, cleaning up her mess

"...I think Desa means distraction," Hana answered thoughtfully, still mostly asleep, "...I have to talk to her about kicking superiors into highly explosive traps..."

"So~" Hana's eyes snapped over to Kiba, narrowing in on his sleepy but smug looking grin, "Sakura technically just kick your ass right?"

_Thwack!_

"Ow!"

"Language," Hana chimed with a smirk, rising to her feet and hurrying out the nearest window

"But you curse all the time!" Kiba whined

"I'm an adult!" Hana shot back cheerfully

_I'm surrounded by hypocrites,_ Kiba sighed, returning to his breakfast

…

* * *

…

"What do you think girl?" Sakura asked, bend over to examine the burnt to hell broken pieces of wood, "Substitution or some kind of active clone?" Chicho looked back at the wolfs, sneezed as if she was insulted by their sight and sat on the blackened ground, swishing her tail around to cover her feet gracefully.

"...I'm going with... substitution on this one," Sakura sighed. Yes Kiba had been helping to understand Chicho but she could translate so much from the cat's actions and said animal has yet to helpfully say a word to Sakura, the Inuzuka's she talks up a storm but she doesn't say a word to Sakura.

"Should've gone with the clone," Hana chuckled, jumping out of the trees to land a few feet from Sakura.

"Figures," Sakura sighed, "I should've seen that one coming."

_Thwack_

"Ow! What the hell?!" Sakura asked, quickly dodging back words to avoid the next strike

"You should have seen that one coming," Hana answered, eyes glinting strangely as Sakura backed away, "now come here and take your punishment."

"What'd I'd do?!" Sakura asked turning tail and running full tilt away from Hana, Chicho quickly striding at her side while Hana and her three Inu-nin chassed after them.

"You kicked me into a bomb!" Hana cackled out, "I hope you have a tomb stone picked out!"

"She's gonna kill me~" Sakura sobbed as she ran, diving into the trees and substituting quickly to avoid a kunai trap.

"Oh~ nice move!" Sakura squealed loudly diving to get away from Hana but sadly the older girl had more experience in catching little genin then Sakura did in running from Anbu captains. Hana might have had a little too much fun chasing and beating Sakura that day.

…

* * *

…

_There wasn't anything they could do_, Kakashi punched at the stonewall, knowing that Sasuke was still asleep helped him in venting his frustration out on lifeless objects instead of the clueless boy. The red head was smart enough to use a genjutsu on Sakura while she was asleep; preventing her from realizing that there was something wrong. As such, she didn't know what happened and because she didn't know, she couldn't press any charges, which meant that they couldn't touch the brat.

…

"_Well you three look different," Kakashi chuckled, watching how the two boys looked pointedly at Sakura_

"_My Neighbors pet mice found my closet," Sakura grumbled with a blush, folding her hands behind herself. "I thought the boys might like some new clothes..."_

…

Sakura's newest outfit covered more skin—less to show, less for others to see

Sakura's newest outfit was made by her father—old, familiar comfort

Sakura's newest outfit had weapons seals—security, quick defense

_Even if she doesn't consciously remember_, Kakashi punched his hands against the stone in front of him, head brushing against the cool pale stone, _on a subconscious level... she remembers..._

He was supposed to protect them, he _swore_ to protect them... what has he done now?

Let Sasuke nearly die on the bridge in wave and simultaneously let the Kiyobi leak out

Let Orochimaru mark Sasuke, knock out Naruto and nearly killed Sakura in the chunin examines...

And the day before the examines?

A foreign brat with diplomatic immunity got too close to his one and only _female_ student... He's failed her twice since that promise was made...

How was he supposed to face Sakura now?

"_I'm already teaching her what you can't because of gender difference"_

He'll just have to pray that Tsume can teach Sakura what he can't...

He'll just have to pray that Tsume is a better teacher then him...

He'll just have to pray that Sakura will never remember...

…

* * *

…

**Sorry I didn't have much of choice, I **_**had**_** to split this chapter in half, other wise it would've been way to damn long**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to review!**

**Page 14**


	6. Chapter 6

**A trick up his sleeve**

Chapter 6: The next month part 2

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

…

"He may talk about having a demon but I've got the real deal in me!" Naruto hissed settling in his stance and glaring at the red head, still standing beside a sleeping Lee

"Quiet Naruto, now isn't the time to piss him off," Shikamaru said beside Naruto, glancing at the worried looking Hinata to Naruto's other side.

"He-he's r-right N-Na—"

"I assure you, my demon is as every bit as real as your own," Gaara murmured, cold eyes not lessoning on them, "I am the Jinchūriki of the Ichibi, the sand spirit: Shukaku."

"Yeah well I'm the Jinchūriki of the nine tails: Kiyobi!" Naruto snapped out, not noticing the surprise on Shikamaru's and Hinata's faces "Nine is stronger then one—Teme!"

"Just as Ichibi means first demon, Kiyobi means ninth demon" Gaara said dully, "Do you not know the name of your own demon?"

"Sorry but we don't exactly sit down for a cup of tea every evening," Naruto answered sarcastically

"Then you'll only die," Gaara replied, letting his sand roar up and attach the three genin

"That's enough!" Gaara flinched as Gai burst into the room and raised his voice, loud enough to distract Gaara and making his sand flinch back from the three automatically.

"That's enough Gaara Sabaku," Gai said, eyes hard on the child in front of him "Leave... and don't come back." Gaara gripped at his head with a wince, sighing he turned and walked away his sand sliding back into his gourd.

"St-stay" Hinata stuttered out, surprising the boys, "Stay away from her!" Hinata shouted, turning to Gaara with eyes clenched shut and hands fisted together at her chest, "She's under the Hyūga's protection!" _She's precious to him_ "Keep away from her! If you don't I'll-I'll—"

"You'll what?" Gaara asked, pausing in the doorway, "You can't even protect yourself, how can you hope to protect someone else?" Hinata flinched at the reminder of her failure in the prelims, knowing that he was right

"Sabaku-san... if you're planning on something foul within this village—" Gai started

"It doesn't matter," Gaara sighed, "you'll die either way."

"Not without a fight," Hinata replied, hands fisting before herself tightly, _She's precious to him... so she's precious to me..._

…

* * *

…

Sakura panted as she stared at the misshapen rock face in front of her, her knuckles were bleeding and bruised but she had managed to break the bolder in half. Finally, after two weeks of training when the Inuzuka's weren't looking, which was harder then she thought it was, she was finally able to split the rock in half.

"Alright," Sakura panted with a grin, straightening she whipped a hand across her chin and searched the training field for any more boulders. "Again," Sakura grinned as she caught sight of a large boulder half way across the clearing, this one larger then the one she's been practicing on. She took off with a speed she's gained from avoiding Hana, a glint in her emerald eyes she learned from Tsume and a determination that made her watchers smirk with pride. His smirk widening into a smile as he watched Sakura jump with a war cry and land on the boulder, nearly shredding it into pebbles.

"Ah, so that's why you asked me to put some more boulders in this training ground," the brunet beside him chuckled, "She's... learned from her experience I take it?"

"The cameras in the training room where she and Sasuke Uchiha fought against Orochimaru waiting for back up, shows her landing a sold hit on Orochimaru that sent him across the room and through a wall." Hiruzen chuckled in agreement, remembering something similar long ago, "She and Sasuke were so bewildered they actually didn't know what to do until Orochimaru started to move again. Sakura then spent the rest of the fight avoiding Orochimaru's direct attaches and experimenting with how much chakra to force into her strikes that landed on him."

"I take it he didn't take being a genie pig well?" he asked with mockery lacing his words

"No he didn't," Hiruzen chuckled, "Perhaps I should... let that librarian have his little request for Sakura-chan."

"Huh?"

"Oh one of our librarians has asked if he could allow Sakura to check out some higher ranked texts." Hiruzen explained watching Sakura rinse her hands out in the small lake nearby and let her hands flicker into a familiar soft green. "Perhaps he's right about her being a 'diamond in the rough'"

"You're not going to suggest anyone to teach her?" the young man asked

"The Inuzuka clan is banning together to teach Sakura almost everything they know," Hiruzen chuckled, looking pointedly where Hana and Tsume were hidden in a few nearby trees, dark eyes glinting and smiles predatory. "Hana Inuzuka is taking care of Sakura's medical skills, considering that being a vet isn't all that different from being a medic; just the knowledge of how to treat the different animals for different wounds."

"She's under the Inuzuka's protection?" the young man asked with whistle, glancing at the two women who were nearly vibrating with excitement

"And the Hyūga," Hiruzen chuckled, "Hinata warned young Gaara from Suna about keeping his distance with 'her'. She's been keeping herself close to Sakura ever since, staying out of sight but near enough to protect her if someone attaches her."

"I'll see what I can't do about those boulders," he chuckled, shaking his head when he caught sight of said Hyūga girl on the other side of the training grounds watching Sakura punch and kick at the boulders worriedly, "I'll put them in while she's a sleep tonight."

"Very well"

They both winced as Sakura gave out a war cry and slammed a fist into the ground, creating a creator that looked like it was a half mile wide around her in a near perfect circle.

"Can I make a few earth clones for her to practice on?" he asked with wide eyes, "At this rate the training grounds will have to get a make over..."

"Please do so,"

"Wish me luck"

_You'll need more then luck with that child_, Hiruzen flinched as Sakura automatically lashed out with a kick, not seeing Tenzo until he was already flying through the air which made both Hana and Tsume slap hands over their mouths to keep their laughter from being heard.

"Oh my goodness!" Sakura shouted and started to take off towards him but Tenzo appeared behind her, placing a restraining hand on her shoulder and startling her into screaming and punching at his stomach.

"I'm sorry!" Sakura shouted unnecessarily crouching beside Tenzo and trying to tend to his most likely bruised ribs "I didn't see him and then you scared me and-and I'm sorry!"

_She defiantly needs to meet Tsunade..._Hiruzen thought with a smile clouded over with memory

…

* * *

…

"Ah you're here again," Sakura looked up and smiled at the familiar gate guard, turns out that the gate guards and library 'guards' switched rolls almost daily. The teen in front of her was the same one she met on the first day of the examines, all black spiky hair and a large bandage over his nose.

"And you even brought your last batch back," Kotetsu chuckled, eyeing the large back pack on Sakura's shoulders, "it's been a week, you couldn't possibly have read all of that by now."

"I'm a fast reader," Sakura chuckled setting her bag on the floor by the desk, pretending that her back wasn't aching from the weight of the books stuffed inside. "I put some seals into this one, so after it's empty, do you want me to empty out the seals as well?"

"Na, we got someone in the back for that," Kotetsu smirked, eyeing the large bag as if it was a bomb, "Did you have to add seals?"

"Did you want to me bring back all my books?" Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow

"You check them out for a month each," Kotetsu said rolling his eyes, "and you always bring them back like two weeks later—on average." Sakura shrugged carelessly as she watched him knock on the door behind him and called for his partner, he quickly ducked back out and hurried away with wave at her, urging her to follow him quickly. By the time she got around the corner, Sakura could hear the other boy's loud cursing echo after them.

"He falls for it every time," Kotetsu snickered out as he led the way, snatching up a clipboard nearby as they went. "Alright, I got this one dedicated to everything you've requested from us..."

"Really?" Sakura asked curiously, following him easily

"Uh-huh," He smirked back at her, raising his pen slightly as he skimmed over the names of books presented to him, "How else am I going to keep up with your request for new books? I gotta make sure not to give you doubles like the first time."

"That was funny" Sakura giggled, remembering his bright blush and stammering as she recited the book word for word

"Yeah well I hope your training is coming along," Kotetsu chuckled back at her stopping to examine the wall of books he came too while speaking, "otherwise we're going to run out of books for you to read."

"Well then I guess I'll just have to read something else," Sakura chuckled, smiling as he jumped up, snatched up a book from the top shelf and landed back in place with a smile.

"I just might have a few ideas for that one," Kotetsu replied, passing the book over to her, "You're reading everything on Chakra healing... let's see here..." he paused to examine the list then the wall of books thoughtfully "oh, how about some on pressure points?" Kotetsu jumped again and grabbed another book from the top shelf, landing and putting into her out stretched hand looking at the list in his hand at the same time "umm... oh there're only three left, after this batch."

"Really?" Sakura questioned, a little disappointed that she's already read all of the medical texts in the library.

"Yeah, you've been at this since before you graduated the academy," Kotetsu rolled his eyes, "I mean, it's been like what? Three years?"

"Two years, five months, three weeks, two days" Sakura answered with a sigh, _two years, six months, two weeks, four days since dad died..._ Sakura's mind automatically did the math for her, telling her she started reading 896 days ago and her father died 921 days ago, which meant she started reading 21 days after being told of her father's death.

"You're memory is creepy as hell" Kotetsu chuckled, pulling out another book about head level on him, "have you read this one yet?"

"Huh? it doesn't have a title" Sakura murmured, staring dully at the strange design of what looked like three slugs on the cover of the book; the older boy frowned and flipped it open, searching for the information page on the first page of the book.

"Oh... um... never mind," Kotetsu grumbled reading the copy written page with a pout, "this isn't a published book, this is a research... note... book..." he trailed over the lines thoughtfully, glancing up at Sakura several times before looking back down at the small journal in his hand. "You know what, why don't you take this and see if you can't learn anything from it," Kotetsu said, tossing the book into her hands carelessly, a fond smile slipping over his features.

"Huh? But you said—" Sakura stumbled with the hold of the new book

"Don't worry, the writer of that book wouldn't mind," Kotetsu chuckled, ruffling her hair with a wide grin, "Now on to those other books!" Sakura smiled and shook her head, following the cheerful boy through the darker ails of the larger then should be library.

…

* * *

…

He hissed from the pain in his arm yes he knew punching a stationary rock was pretty damn dumb but it made him feel a little better when he envisioned the red head's face being smashed under his fist. He tried again, rushing forward quickly and summoned his chakra to give his legs faster movement and his kunai just that little bit sharper. He was going up against Gaara in the second round, he had to make sure he'd learn to never touch her again; he had to make sure he'd never do it again.

He had to protect her and if he couldn't protect her... he'll just have to settle for avenging her...

…

* * *

…

"Hay Sakura," Kiba called, staring at the pinkette who was hobbled up at the table with three books on her right, a mountain on her left and a little red book in her hand that she appeared to be skimming though scarily fast. "Didn't you already read those?" he stepped around the mound of books at Sakura's feet and hurried to the nearest cupboard, picking out a glass before he moved over to the fridge

"I returned that batch this morning," Sakura answered absent mindedly, "I just got back..."

"How long have you been reading?" Kiba asked, filling his glass and turning to look at Sakura, freezing when he saw that Sakura was already reaching for another book even as she read the last two pages of the book in her hand.

"Not long," Sakura answered with a smile at him as she closed her little red book, set it off to the side, and opened her next book.

"How fast do you read?" Kiba asked curiously, twitching at the little stack sitting neatly beside Sakura

"Fast enough to not get caught by my mom _or_ yours," Sakura answered with a smirk, working her way through the book quickly.

"Sorry," Tsume's voice sounded behind Sakura, her hand slapping down on Sakura's head, "What was that _brat_?"

"Umm... I was just telling Kiba how much like reading...?" Sakura's voice trailed off, turning her statement into a question mark

"Uh-huh" Tsume snorted and rolled her eyes, "What are you reading anyways?"

"Oh, this is the last book on Chakra healing," Sakura answered, turning she pointed at the four books sitting innocently beside her, "these five are the last ones at the library, after I'm done with this I'll have read every book related to healing with chakra in the library's archives."

"...wouldn't that much reading take, oh I don't know, _decades_ to do?" Tsume asked, staring at the two piles on either side of Sakura with a twitching eyebrow

"No, I started Two years, five months, three weeks, two days ago," Sakura chuckled, "I read really fast."

"Do you even retain any of that?" Tsume asked, Sakura pointed to one of the books on her right

"I've already read those," Sakura said with a smile, pointing to the four books on her right, "Pick one, and tell me a page and paragraph, I'll recite it for you."

"Heads up," Kiba said as he passed his mother and patted her shoulder as he passed, "Sakura has a scary memory."

"Just because I have a photographic memory doesn't mean it's scary," Sakura chuckled, rolling her eyes and going back to her book.

"See?" Kiba whispered to Tsume, pointing at Sakura as she scanned through the page and flipped it, going through three pages before Kiba even said anything to his mom. Tsume glanced down to look at the pile beside Sakura, scanning over the titles curiously; her brow started twitching when she read some titles like '_acupuncture tricks_' and '_massage therapist 101: killer pressure points_'.

..._Some of those titles are forbidden for genin to read_, Tsume noted, staring at a particular title she'd seen in the Jonin section of the library.

"Alright, then I want you to tell me something," Tsume said shaking her head and snatching Kiba's ear before he could go too far, "When was the first time you met him?" Sakura continued flipping through the book as if she didn't hear Tsume, snickering Kiba spook up before Tsume lost her temper

"Sakura," Sakura's head popped up, she blinked at him as if she had to refocus her sight, "When was the first time you met me?" Sakura's eyes narrowed at Kiba, one brow twitched twice before she answered, voice dripping with irritation

"We were six and in the Oakland's park, the day before the first day of the academy," Sakura answered, "you called me a _pixy_." Tsume snorted, that was something she could see Kiba saying to her.

"Right, when did you fist see Shikamaru and Chōji?" Kiba asked rolling his eyes

"First day of the academy," Sakura answered rolling her eyes, "They were sitting just behind me."

"What about Ino Yamanaka?" Sakura stiffened at the blonde's name; Kiba groaned and rubbed a hand against his face, he forgot to tell his mother about that particular bag of fire ants.

"We were seven..." Sakura answered Tsume's question softly, a fond smile settling over her face as she sat back and let the memory take over. "In the eastern floral park at sunset... she found me by the cheery trees and the river... she was the first person to smile at me..." Okay Kiba hadn't expected that one, he honestly thought that they had been enemies since day one

"Okay how about this one," Tsume said walking over, picked up a black book, and flipped it to a random page; capturing Sakura's attention almost instantly "Page 53, um... first line of the um... third paragraph (?)" _This was written in hand then photocopied into a book..._

"'_As such, chakra must be neutral to be accepted by the recipient's chakra, if there isn't a specific line up then the recipient will reject the healing chakra_.'" Sakura recited and rolled her eyes as if that was an easy question

"Alright smart ass," Tsume growled flipping to the beginning of the page "When was it made?"

"Two years ago," Sakura smirked, "it was published by the Leaf corps agency for information gathering, and several different doctors wrote it."

"It only says one name..." Tsume said frowning at Sakura

"Page one starts off talking about how chakra can heal anything and everything, yet in the next chapter it says that there are conditions, requirements and restrictions to healing a patient." Sakura said, looking at the book with frown her self, "plus the writing style changes, the first chapter is in second person but the second chapter is in third person and the fifth chapter has different grammar usage and bigger words, the thirteenth chapter goes into long detailed explanations about how the mystical palm can cure cuts and bruises but can't do anything about petrifaction or other serious wounds."

"Kiba's right," Tsume said, snapping the book shut and setting it down, "Your memory is creepy."

Sakura sighed, wondering if that line was going to follow her for the rest of her life

…

* * *

…

He wondered where she was, he hadn't seen her since the prelims. He had felt his chakra in her reacting to his presence but he still didn't get any sight from her, he knew she was in the far east of the village where the forest was thickest but that was a clan compound and he couldn't get near it without sending off alarms. Besides, he's had Anbu following him since the hospital incident, he was tempted to make a sand clone and split up just to make them run around the village but that would cause trouble and Baki would seal him in his room again, like he did after the prelims.

_I wonder if you remember,_ Gaara thought staring up at the moon curiously, not letting anyone see what he was thinking much less know that he knew where they were stationed.

…

* * *

…

"You ready Sakura-chan?" Hana asked cheerfully,

"You're going to stab me with a needle," Sakura deadpanned, "who could possibly be ready for—Ow!" Hana giggled as she filled the syringe with Sakura's blood, distracting the pinkette before she stabbed her had worked like charm.

"Did you have to stab me so hard?" Sakura whined when Hana removed the syringe and immanently put her palm over the bleeding wound, letting her chakra swarm around the wound and begin to repair the damage quickly.

"Alright, Mom told me that you've been reading up on healing with chakra," Hana said, changing the subject quickly as she too care of the syringe then tended to Sakura's arm quickly. "How about you help me with a few cuts from training?"

"You don't have a scratch," Sakura said with narrowed eyes

"Not me!" Hana giggled, stepping aside to sweep an arm out so that her hand landed against the door to her examine room, "them!" Sakura's eyes widened as she heard the various yapping and howling from the animals on the other side of the door.

"Umm..."

"Oh don't tell me you're scared~" Hana smirked at Sakura, "Come on Sakura, reading about something is one thing but putting it into practice is another."

"_Reading is all good and fun, little sprite" he smiled, pulling her into a tight hug, "but not everything can be learned through a book."_

"Okay," Sakura murmured, eyes still clouded over with memory, "I'll need to be shown the ropes..."

"No problem!" Hana chuckled, opening the door and leading Sakura away, "Just make sure they don't get too close to the puncture mark, humans don't have the same Antibodies as animals."

"Right," Sakura sighed, lifting her arm enough to pet a large gray dog where he sat beside his owner, tail wagging cheerfully.

_Sorry Sakura,_ Hana thought passing by her mother and trading syringes before the pinkette could notice, _but we have to check it... _

…

"_She's been craving spices a lot more often then before," Hana murmured with arms crossed, "and certain meats make her feel sick." Hana had walked in on one of Tsume's and Kakashi's meetings some weeks prior. It took Kakashi summoning his pack to immobile her while Tsume knocked out the three pups at her sides to keep Hana from killing the red head for no apparent reason._

"_You don't think..." Kakashi couldn't finish his sentence, all he could think about was that Sakura __**hates**__ spicy foods..._

"_Her scent hasn't changed though..." Tsume frowned,_

"_I could pull some blood off from Sakura and check it," Hana suggested, "Our spares can get a little bloody"_

"_Too many chances for contamination," Tsume sighed, "We don't want to mistake your blood for hers."_

"_Well what about a lie? I could take her to the clinic and take some blood while there..." Hana asked with a thoughtful frown, "It shouldn't be too hard. I could tell her that I'm doing a test to see if she actually has the genetic marker to actually bind with Chicho."_

"_What if it comes back... pa-pa," Kakashi sighed, unable to finish the dreaded word_

"_It shouldn't be too hard to kill," Tsume sighed, Inuzuka's were protective of children, even expecting mothers; it was apart of being so in tune to your instincts, "A good punch or kick should do the job..."_

"_A spare?" Hana asked, her voice sounding in a sigh, "I'm the one doing the physical training... so I'll have to deliver the blow..."_

"_Wouldn't she notice the abnormal amount of pain?" Kakashi asked softly_

"_No, if she is..." Tsume paused with a sigh, unable to admit the fear they were all feeling "...then she's just a week or so along, if she dose bleed she'll properly think that it's just her period."_

…

_With luck, it'll be negative..._ Hana smiled as several dogs tried to burry Sakura alive;_ please Kami-sama let it be negative..._

…

* * *

…

A few days later

…

* * *

…

"He's been quiet," Temari murmured as she leaned back from the dark room where Gaara sat meditating quietly.

"I'd say he's being too quiet... but that's normal for him," Kankuro replied as he tinkered with his puppet absentmindedly.

"...I think he's planning something," Temari sighed

"Yeah, how to get out of those seals without raising the alarms," Kankuro shot back rolling his eyes, after finding out about the hospital incident their sensei sealed Gaara into his room so it wouldn't happen again

"That's not what I meant"

"He's properly planning for the final examines," Kankuro sighed, setting his puppet head down to look at Temari in slight irritation "you know that's like in three days."

_It's more then that_, Temari thought with a sigh, leaning back against the wall, giving up on trying convincing Kankuro of anything. _He's planning something I just don't know what..._

…

* * *

…

"You ready Sakura?" Tsume asked, crouching lowly for Kuroon to jump onto her back

"I hope so," Sakura sighed, mimicking Tsume's crouch, letting Chicho step onto her back in her kitten form

"Man-beast mimicry!" Tsume and Sakura shouted at the same time

_Poof_

"Well?" Sakura's voice sounded, "How'd it come out?"

"I think... I think you're ready..." Tsume smirked as the smoke cleared from her site; she wouldn't mention about the little extra package Chicho gave to her human body, Sakura will figure it out on her own

"Good because tomorrow is show-and-tell" Sakura sighed, putting a hand on a cocked hip, "and I still have to get more supplies, sharpen my kunai and shiriken, find some herbs—"

"Whoa, whoa girl slow down," Tsume chuckled, letting the jutsu go to reveal Kuroon beside her "It's time for a party~!"

_Oh no..._

…

* * *

…

_I can't believe this,_ Sakura thought with a sigh, sinking into her chair, trying to hide from the embarrassing sight that was her mother and Aunt singing drunkenly. As it turned out the two had been planning the party for sometime, since they found out that she was in the final round, and had contacted all the parents/guardians of the other kids in the final round.

Now Sakura was sitting at a back table trying to ignore how easily drunk her family could get, she didn't even know that low Alcohol tolerance was genetic until she saw her mom and aunt blushing brightly and hugging one of the Jonins of her village till the man was bleeding from his nose and ready to faint. The only thing Sakura found to be a blessing was that not everyone in the finals (or the rooky nine for that matter) arrived and those who did only brought their parent's.

"Sakwa~! Why~s yo~u hiding~!" Sakura groaned and ducked under the long cloth of the table she had been sitting at, the last thing she needed was a drunk Hana—

"Found you~s!" Sakura flinched as Hana flipped the table and tackled her, giggling loudly, "Let's~ Da~nce~!"

Crap

…

* * *

…

About an hour after she got hogged by Hana, Kiba had showed up and accidentally caught his sister's attention, as such he spent his time running form the drunken kunochi while Sakura took her cue and ran in the opposite direction. Now she was sitting on a far out portion of her family's land, looking up at the stars and trying to clear her mind.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sakura squeaked at the voice that sounded behind her, she had thought she was alone but when she turned around, she saw the sand siblings staring down at her in a mix of curiosity and irritation

"I live here," Sakura answered dumbly, "Well at least I will be after the chunin examines, Aunty and mom finally made up."

_Great_ Temari thought sarcastically, _We're lost on this damn property and it just so happens that the weird ass map led us straight to the one girl we've been avoiding the past month._

"Are you lost?" Sakura asked curiously

"Yes/No" Kankuro and Temari answered the same time, making Sakura giggle in amusement

"If you keep heading straight you'll come across the teen's section," Sakura said with a smile, pointing in the direction they were heading, "Beyond that is the adults, that's were most of the sensei and Jonin are."

"Great... thanks" Temari said, grabbing Kankuro's ear and pulling along up the road, Gaara following close behind. At least Temari thought Gaara was following until she turned around at the teen's wreck center and saw that her baby brother wasn't anywhere near her.

…

* * *

…

"My name is Gaara," he said stopping just behind her, she jumped at the sound of her voice

"My name is Sakura," She chuckled with a sheepish grin, "Do you like the compound?"

"It's... very bright" Gaara answered crouching beside her and looking out at the lake in front of them, noting how it reflected the night sky almost perfectly.

"My family name means 'spring'," Sakura chuckled, "So my ancestors had planted a lot of brightly colored flowering trees on our property. We actually have one of the largest gardens in the village, the only ones who beat us are the Aburame clan gardens; but they have bugs to count on so I consider it cheating."

"Do they all have bright hair... like you?" he asked curiously, turning to look at her hair pointedly

"No," Sakura giggled, tugging at her bangs with a blush, "There's one pinkette for each generation. My father was the previous generation and Nana's mom was another generation. I remember grandmother saying how odd it was that my father passed his hair on to me, it doesn't normally happen like that."

"Why not?" Gaara asked, not looking at her

"Because it typically skips a generation or two," Sakura answered, "When it doesn't it usury picks two people who don't have direct relation to each other."

"You're family is strange," Gaara murmured looking back at the sky high above them, the moon shown brightly another night and it'd be a full moon.

"Hay I want to show you something," Sakura said with a grin, rising to her feet and shuffling down the hill side towards the lake; Sakura's eyes were dancing and her smile was bright as she turned to look up at him "Come on, I don't bite."

_I do_, Gaara couldn't stop the thought as he followed her with an amused smirk

…

* * *

…

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to review!**

**Page 16**


	7. Chapter 7

**A trick up his sleeve**

Chapter 7: The finals

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

…

_What happened?_ Sakura thought as she stretched out in her bed, noting how she left her window wide open and let her blankets tangle around her.

When did she get back to her house?

…

"_I'm not joking Sakura" Kiba grumbled, as he walked beside her, "You seriously need to stay away from that Suna-guy."_

"_Why?" Sakura asked with a smile, delighted despite herself as she made Kiba glare at her, "Oh relax Kiba, it's not like he's going to kill me. We were alone for like five minutes before his siblings found us and then you showed up not even a minute later."_

"_I still don't like him," Kiba frowned at her, pausing as she opened the door with her keys. Sighing Sakura opened the door and ducked back out to kiss Kiba on his cheek, startling him and making him blush brightly._

"_I'll see you at the examines tomorrow," Sakura chuckled at Kiba's bright red face, "Be safe on the way back to the compound." She ducked in side and hurried to her room before she passed out without changing_

…

_She couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her as he trailed kisses down her neck, smoothly undoing her pink kimono with one hand while the other pinned her to the wall they were hiding behind. He covered her mouth quickly when he bit harshly on her shoulder and lifted one of her legs to wrap around his waist; she ran her fingers over his chest, tugging at the folds of his own dress and opening them slightly to reveal his pale skin._

_He replaced his hand on her mouth with his own mouth as he pushed the last of his own robe out of the way and lined himself up with her, only to pause briefly when she bit his lip and rolled her hips towards him. He groaned and pinned her arms above her with one hand, using his other to fix his robe half-heatedly. She groaned and thumped her head against the wall, tightening her legs around his waist and rolling her hips against him, trying to sway him into doing what she wanted._

"_You'll regret it," he murmured against her throat, his warm breath sending shivers up her spine_

"_Doubtful," She murmured back with a smirk, turning to give him a kiss, huffing when he quickly pulled back from her. "Please?"_

"_It'll hurt," He answered pushing his forehead against hers and pinning her in place with his jade eyes. "We could do something else... I doubt you'll like it..."_

"_If you leave me like this I'll never forgive you," She grumbled with a faint blush, making him smirk_

"_Hold on," he ordered, tightening his hold and pulling her down the hall and quickly into her room, "Try to be quiet." She gasped as he bent her over her bed and rammed into her from behind, one hand quickly smothering her shout as he worked behind her, kisses trailing up and down her neck, shoulders and back._

…

_Another dream?_ Sakura thought with a frown, stretching experimentally she realized that her body wasn't sore, not even a pinprick of pain. _Whatever... I'm tried, time for sleep_, When she pulled herself onto her side and looked at her clock on her desk and the calendar just above it, Sakura saw that it was just a few hours before the final examine.

_Examine_, Sakura thought dully, _the final examine is today..._

"S#*T!" Sakura stumbled out of her bed and rolled in a tangled mess of sheets on her floor before she was able to grab her robe and run into her bathroom for a quick shower.

All the while never noticing the small light brown bracelet with little white and black decals resting on her desk

…

* * *

…

Several hours later

…

* * *

…

It was the day of the final round, the finalist were all lined up together, looking almost the same as they all last saw each other. Except Sasuke and Naruto, who were absent, and Sakura who was wearing her old crimson dress that Gaara swore he tore to shreds. True there were minor differences, like the long bell sleeves and the longer skirt that brushed at her knees with the slits to her hips that showed her black shorts and the high leather boots he'd seen in her closet months ago. Honestly how did she think she could move in that tight fitting outfit? And what about the cat held in her arms? Wouldn't that tinny kitten just get in the way?

_Her first opponent uses sound as a tool; dose she think that a pet and a dress is going to save her against someone like Dosu?_ Gaara stiffened at the thought that flew passed his head like nothing. When the hell, did he start caring weather or not she won her matches? He was expecting her to fail in the prelims!

"WHAAA!" everyone turned to look at the blonde who came flying out from the entrance and skidded to a halt a few feet away.

_Idiot_, Gaara thought glancing back at the blond only to see Sakura half bent over looking down at Naruto curiously

…

"_Ha~, Ha~, Ngh!" He covered her mouth before she could shout, finding it easier to move against her this time as compound to last time. He felt her tong dart out and lick the sweat on his palm, glancing over her shoulder at him with a bright blush on her cheeks. Pulling her flush against him and crushing his lips against hers with a smirk, his hand trailing down her chest teasingly; she gasped against his lips and tightened on him in warning—she didn't like be teased._

…

Gaara quickly turned away as Shino and Shikamaru lifted Naruto from the ground; Sakura placed glowing fingertips to his bleeding nose carefully, smiling as the blonde thanked her with a sheepish smile. Gaara ignored the subtitle tightening of his right hand on his left arm and the looks his siblings gave him and the proctor who showed them their match ups again. He was glade when they were told to move back into the box, leaving behind Naruto and the white eyed boy. Gaara found his eyes locked onto Sakura's back as she walked beside Shikamaru and Shino, chatting with a smile and giggling every time one of them said something funny.

By the time they got to their designated waiting area, Kankuro and Temari were huddled close to him preventing his point of view of the pinkette which made him lean against the opposite wall where she was standing just so he could look at her while pretending to be looking at Temari as she and Kankuro chatted. More than once, he locked gazes with the Nara boy, who was at first confused when he first caught Gaara looking in their direction but it wasn't long before he figured it out and stepped around Sakura to block Gaara's view.

About half way through Naruto's fight, about the same time the blonde made a show of getting his chakra to move despite the Hyūga boy's words, Shino stepped around a distracted Sakura to stand beside Shikamaru. His face turned in the siblings' direction, which irritated Gaara further because he knew that now the bug boy had caught on and was acting like a shield with Shikamaru.

_BOOM_

Gaara flinched and looked down into the arena curiously, watching how two dark forms burst from the tall dark cloud and slammed into smoking piles at opposite areas of the arena. What in the seven hells did he just miss?

"Come on Naruto!" Sakura shouted leaning over the railing with panic echoing in her emerald eyes, "GET UP!"

_She's making things worse_, Temari thought with gritted teeth, watching how Gaara had stiffened at the sound of Sakura's voice. She placed herself a little closer to Kankuro, purposely keeping Gaara's eyes off of Sakura, while her own were locked on the arena, searching for the winner.

"Figures," Temari smirked as Neji pulled himself out of the hole he had been slammed into, Neji stumbled forward to look down on Naruto's hole, teeth gritted together and glaring down at the curled up ball of orange. "What the hell?!" Temari gasped as Naruto burst out from beneath the earth, right fist colliding with Neji's jaw hard enough to knock him flat on his back.

"About time!" Sakura shouted her smile wide and her eyes dancing, "That's my boy!"

_Geez Sakura,_ Shikamaru flinched as he felt the agitation roll off Gaara; he shared a look with Shino and sighed. _How oblivious can you be? _Apparently, she was very oblivious. Sakura pushed Chicho into Shikamaru's arms before she jumped over the railing laughing and hurried over to Naruto, enveloping him with a hug that nearly knocked him over.

"Oh wait," Sakura pulled away from Naruto with worried eyes, not seeing Shikamaru quickly pass the hissing fur ball over to Shino quickly, who simply made a cage with his insects. "Sasuke's match is next and he's still not here yet."

"Hay proctor, what about Sasuke?!" Naruto asked loudly, turning to look up at the grinning brunet as the medics carried Neji away "He's still not here yet."

"It's really not like him..." Sakura added, "He should be here soon..."

"Hmmm," Genma stared down at the two teens, a smile pulling at his lips "All contestants have until their round to arrive, if they don't then they're considered to have forfeited their fight."

"What? But—!"

"Naruto," Sakura called, putting a restraining hand on the blonde shoulder, "The whole village can't wait an entire day for one contestant to show up when they decided to drop out or if there was an accident and they couldn't arrive."

"Fine," Naruto sighed, both teens perked up at the scared Jonin who land behind Genma and whispered into his ear before leaving as quickly as he arrived.

"Well it sounds like you two get your wish," Genma smirked at their matching masks of confusion "Do to unforeseen circumstances; Sasuke Uchiha's match will be postponed until the last round!" The crowd grumbled, Temari and Kankuro shared a worried look, Naruto and Sakura cheered and Shikamaru whined about his match being bumped up.

"Alright you two, clear out," Genma chuckled as Naruto spun Sakura around

"Right!" the two laughed and ran straight for the stairs all smiles and giggles

"Kankuro Sabaku of Sand and Shino Aburame of Leaf, get down here!" Genma called out, looking expectantly at the two boys in question. Temari and Kankuro argued for a moment but it was silenced with a few short words from Gaara; with gritted teeth, Kankuro marched away passing Naruto and Sakura in the hall as he left.

"Hay Girly..." Kankuro paused in the hall, drawing Sakura and Naruto's attention with his soft call "you better lose to sound boy, if you don't..." Kankuro shifted uncomfortably, his eyes locking in on Shino as he approached "Trust me you don't want to go against Gaara." _Honestly, I don't know what he'd do to you..._

"If you're worried about my health you don't need to be," Sakura said with a strained smile and ticking eyebrow, "There's no way I can win my fight without getting a good amount of damage done to myself. My fight will properly end in a tie."

_I don't know if that's good or bad_, Kankuro thought with a sigh, quickly turning and moving into the arena before Shino could get too close to him. _Either way, Gaara will have a less then pleasant reaction_.

…

* * *

…

Twenty minutes later

…

* * *

…

"That was lame," Sakura grumbled with a frown, absent-mindedly petting Chicho, making Naruto chuckle beside her. Kankuro did put op a good fight but he failed to take into account that Aburame's nearly had an endless supply of tiny ass bugs. As such he was currently being treated for chakra exhaustion while Shino was being hospitalized for poisoning, neither one of them would be able to continue in the chunin examines so their round ended in a tie.

"At least Shino won... technically," Shikamaru grumbled, _Why'd you have to get poisoned? You know I need you up here to help me with Sand boy!_

"Hay Shikamaru," Sakura grinned as Temari jumped down and headed into the center of the arena, "You're next."

"Damn it," Shikamaru hissed, eyes glancing over at the last sand sibling, _Naruto's oblivious and Sound boy hates her guts, no one else is up here to keep sand boy away from her... should I—_

"Oh come Shikamaru!" Naruto shouted out, bursting from behind the brunet and slapping him hard on his back, "Make us proud!"

"Wha-wha—aaah—!"

"Naruto-baka!" Sakura shouted, eyes widening as Shikamaru went over the edge of the burrier and landed back first on the ground. "Are you trying to kill him?!" Sakura asked slamming a fist into Naruto's blond head, ignoring Gaara as he lifted off his wall and walked away as if he was hopping not to get associated with them. "What if you just got him disqualified because he landed on his ribs wrong and got them broken?! He wouldn't be able to give Sasuke more time to get here! IDIOT!"

_Maybe I should do that just to get back at him_, Shikamaru thought as watched Sakura beat Naruto for not thinking strait, it was the perfect way to get back at the blond but it was also unfair to Sasuke... and Sakura, that meant she'd spend more alone time with the red head because the first round of the second stage would pull Naruto away from her to fight whoever won _this_ match.

"S-sorry Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined, rubbing at his head in pain

"Think before you act," Sakura hissed, turning to look worriedly down at Shikamaru, _Please don't get back at him by being mean to Sasuke..._

Sakura flinched several minuets later, when Temari lost her patience and swung her fan with a furious shout. She watched for a few more minutes before noticing Shikamaru was in his 'famous' thinking pose.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Sakura sighed with a slight smile, pushing Chicho into Naruto's hold and patting her so she knew that Naruto was a friend and wouldn't bite him this time, _this round is over_

"Don't take to long," Dosu murmured as she passed "I wouldn't want you to miss out on our little fight."

"Don't worry," Sakura smirked back, "I just have to play with my hair." She pulled on an unruly lock for emphasis as she kept walking, not looking back at the older boy. Sakura walked down the hall, passing Gaara without looking at him and stepped into the bathroom easily. Sakura walked straight to the sink, pulled out a few paper towels, soaked them and patted them against her slightly longer hair.

_Calm down,_ Sakura told her self, watching her reflection carefully, pressing the wet towel to the top of her hair Sakura carefully lifted her hair and repeated the process to the underside. _He uses sound, nothing is faster then sound... well technically that'd be light but how do you fight something that's second only to light?_

Sakura gently pulled a hair band from her wrist and pulled as much of her hair back into a high ponytail as she could.

…

"_Now Sakura listen carefully," Hana instructed gesturing for the pinkette to sit in front of her, Sakura did so wirily, at this point she's learned to expected the unexpected and if Hana was being still it typically meant she was either serious or planning something extremely painful._

"_A real Kunochi doesn't do diets," Sakura nodded in understanding, "nor dose she put her looks before her skills," Sakura felt her eyes narrow in suspicion, "A true Kunochi will do whatever it takes to keep any and all distractions out of her point of view. If that includes her longer-then-should-be hair, then she'll cu—"_

"_Hell no!"_

"_Or!" Hana said giving Sakura a glare that said she'd regret bursting out like that later, "Or she can tie her hair back." Sakura blinked dumbly as Hana pushed a box of different colored hair bands into her hands, "Wear these for the final examine, you see these ones here with the bells? They have small balls of poison in them; the blue bells on each band are the cures to each poison it's paired with. These scrunch-ies actually have seals stitched into them, your father made them for me when I was still a little girl, I think it's time you've had them."_

"_Thank you," Sakura whispered pulling the box close and staring at the five differently colored scrunch-ies with a soft smile_

…

_Deep breathes_, Sakura instructed herself calmly, gripping the edges of the sink tightly, _You can do this... the best way to fight sound is with sound..._ Sakura sighed and turned to leave the bathroom, knowing that Shikamaru should have won by now. _I should have bought some earplugs when I had the chance..._ Sakura sighed as she stepped into the hall and turned to return to her teammate's side

"You've been called," Sakura jumped and squeaked at the low voice, turning to look back down the hall, only to see that Gaara was a lot closer then she thought he was. "They're waiting for you"

"Ah, thank you," Sakura smiled and turned on her heal, "Is Chicho—"

"Your cat is waiting for you in the arena" Gaara answered walking passed her, "You'd better win,"

_Why?_ Sakura thought turning slightly to watch the red head continue down the dark hall as if nothing had happened

"I want to see how good you've gotten" Ah, that's why

Sakura rolled her eyes and hurried down the hall, unaware of the smile that tugged at her lips and the pair of eyes that watched her leave.

"I'm sorry!" Sakura shouted as she burst out from the door way and into the arena, "I thought I had... had..." Sakura stared dumbly at Shikamaru and Naruto, who were standing with a peeved looking Temari nearby "What'd I miss?"

"You have awesome timing Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted rounding onto her with a bright smile, "Shikamaru just finished not even five seconds ago!"

"Really?" Sakura asked walking forward and nodding politely at Temari as she passed, "Sorry Shikamaru, I went to the bathroom so I didn't notice your ending shot."

"That's fine," Shikamaru grumbled, "I take it you already figured out what I planned to do?"

"Nope," Sakura grinned, "I just figured you'd use the wind against her"

"I did," Shikamaru snorted, "by the way that cat you own"

"Yeah?" Sakura asked blinking as Shikamaru lifted his leg to show that Chicho was latched onto him tightly

"She's bipolar as hell"

"Chicho let go of him!" Sakura reprimanded but only ended up laughing, "I take it you won?"

"No," Shikamaru grumbled, wincing as the cat let go and walked up to Sakura like a perfectly innocent queen "I quite"

"That's why Chicho-chan jumped out of my arms and targeted Shikamaru" Naruto laughed, "I don't think she likes quitters!" Sakura giggled as she let the kitten jump into her arms, putting her paws onto her chest to lick affectionately at her face.

"Alright you brats," Genma said with a smirk, "Get out the next round is about to start."

"Good luck Sakura-chan!" Naruto hollered as he turned and ran back into the building, "Kick his a$$!"

"Language Naruto!" Sakura shouted after him in irritation, only earning Naruto's laughter in answer

"Sakura," Shikamaru called, hesitating slightly, "Keep the cat close and be careful."

"I know Shikamaru," Sakura grinned at him,

"No I mean—"

"Oi! Dosu of sound get down here!"

"...try not to get killed," Shikamaru sighed, turning to walk away "Give him an inch and he'll take a mile."

"Right," Sakura said with a curt nod and narrowed eyes, understanding filling her as Chicho curled up in her arms, letting Sakura raise a hand to pet her reassuringly.

"You ready?" Genma asked when Dosu stepped up in front of him, just steps away from the pinkette

"As I'll ever be," Sakura sighed with a deep breath

"I can't wait" Dosu said sarcastically, _To kill you that is..._

"Ready... set... GO!"

…

* * *

…

"Ino are you sure you're okay?" Chōji asked as he helped the blonde to her feet so she could watch Sakura walk further into the arena "She cut you up pretty bad..."

"I'll be fine," Ino murmured watching the pinkette carefully, "she pulled her hair back..."

"She still has that damn cat," Chōji grumbled lowly, not liking the animal that had taken possession of Sakura to hospitalize Ino.

"The Haruno's can't pick their guardians," Ino replied softly, "the guardian is often a reflection of the Haruno in question..."

"So what dose that make Sakura?" Chōji asked with a frown, "That she has the soul of a cat?"

"I've never seen a cat like that before, have you?" Ino asked, not even looking at her teammate, "I wouldn't be surprised if that's the animal her father died to protect..."

"Huh? But I thought he died on a mission..." Chōji murmured carefully helping Ino back down into her seat before she fell over. A few hours after Ino was treated for her wounds because of the prelims, it was discovered that her chakra net work in her left arm was heavily damage and that it would take a few years before it was back to normal. Ino was basically a civilian until the Hyūga clan deems her chakra network usable again and that might not happen for a very long time.

"...his mission was a search and retrieve mission," Ino answered softly, remembering over hearing her father telling her mother after it happened.

"I don't understand how you forgiven her so fast" Chōji murmured softly, not realizing that she heard him

"Because Sakura isn't the one who did it," Ino answered watching the proctor jump away from the two contestants "Her damn overprotective guardian did."

…

* * *

…

"Chicho hide!" Sakura ordered, dropping the cat in her arm and spinning away from the proctor as Dosu had to adjust his strike for her knew position. Dosu swung his arm out at Sakura but she simply threw a hand full of explosives at him, forcing him to jump back from the explosion that disrupted his jutsu and protected the pinkette.

Glaring Dosu tried to charge with another swing but Sakura threw a few more small explosives to disrupt the sound waves around her. Noting how she was keeping her distance from him, Dosu swept forward as fast as he could, ignoring the thrown kunai with little pink pockets tied to their ends that missed him by a mile. Sakura's smile was calm and her eyes challenging as she moved forward swiftly, her speed obviously improved, and just before they met she threw a handful of small explosives and spun around him as they all made small 'popping' noises disrupting his jutsu _again_.

"Damn you girl," Dosu growled following Sakura as she spun around the sparks and tried to swing his arm out at her again. However, this time Sakura smirked and dove under his arm, glowing kunai in hand as she arced her blades up, one against his right arm cutting the leather straps and creating a long crimson gash from his wrist to almost to his shoulder. The other one was a little more lethal; she slammed her other glowing blade into his open ribcage, cutting passed his clothing, basic protection padding and layers of flesh, between his ribs and through what felt like a lung. She jerked her blades back and hurried away from him; spinning on her heals to face him, straightening and observing him carefully with glowing blades held out at the ready.

The metal armband slipped from his out stretched arm, quickly followed by Dosu collapsing to one knee, his left arm wrapped around his ribcage as he coughed out wetly, blood spilled passed his lips and stained the white cloth of his mask; which contained the sticky liquid and made it roll down his chin and down his throat and nearly making him choke in the process.

"D-damn y-you," Dosu coughed wetly, turning to glare furiously back at Sakura

"I-I can heal you," Sakura said stepping forward hesitantly, "I know how now..."

"_Don't_" Dosu growled out, dark eye glinting dangerously as he struggled to stand once more, dragging his metallic armband up with him. "I-I can st-still fight..." Dosu coughed some more, the proctor landed beside Sakura and observed him closely for a moment

"Sakura Haruno—" Genma called out

"NO!" Dosu snapped out swinging his armband up and sending a blast out to Sakura, who quickly made a hand sign. The proctor quickly jumped out of the way, eager not to get hit himself, and Dosu's eyes widened as he heard the hissing sound of explosives

_BO-OOM_

_Just when did they get behind me?_ Dosu thought as his world was enveloped in darkness

…

* * *

…

He blinked dumbly at the sudden brightness in his surroundings, Where was he? The blank pale white of... of wherever was coated over everything. Curious he looked down at his arm to see the damage that was done to it but his arm was perfectly unmarred and almost seemed to be smaller some how, was it just him or did someone take his clothes to replace them with his old gray T-shirt and dark pants? What happened to his thick coat?

"_Dosu_!" His head snapped up at the familiar voice, his eyes tearing up at the sigh of a younger Kin smiled at him, warm crimson kimono wrapped around her and her long Onex hair was pulled back into her once ponytail. "_You're here Dosu, what happened? We've been waiting for you, what took you so long?_"

"_Hurry up slow poke!_" Zaku teased, his grin was so bright it was nearly blinding, dressed in his old plain yellow shirt and gray shorts "_If you don't hurry we're leaving you behind!_"

"_Coming!"_ Dosu heard himself call in a much younger voice, "_I'm coming you guys..." _He chased after them but he wasn't sure if he was going anywhere, it didn't look like they were moving further or closer as he ran, "_don't leave without me!_"

…

* * *

…

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to review!**

**Page 13**


	8. Chapter 8

**A trick up his sleeve**

Chapter 8: Punch first ask questions later

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

…

"Sakura Haruno has won!" Genma coughed out, waving a hand in front of himself to clear the smoke out of his face, "Damn child did you need to use so many explosives?" _I can't recognize that black and red splatter over there...is that a hand or a foot?_

"Hu~uh?" Sakura asked loudly from where she laid, making Genma look down at her curiously "S~ay s~omth~ing?"

"Ha-ha, he hit you with that blast huh?" Genma asked with a smile and raised eyebrow, smiling as Sakura lifted a hand and waved it weakly at him

"S~oka~y, I-s~ i~ne~"

_You sound drunk_, Genma thought with a chuckle, eyes dancing as the medics rushed into the arena and headed strait for Dosu who was in the middle of the bomb trap. "Huh?" Genma nearly dropped his wooden senbon when he saw three Inuzuka's land around Sakura

"What did I tell you about using explosives?!" Hana asked as she lifted Sakura up with a chuckling Tsume on her other side "Did I teach you nothing child?!"

"Hu~h?" Sakura's head rolled towards Hana but her eyes were spinning dizzily, "Ma~ma? Th~at kou~?"

_Defiantly drunk_ Genma chuckled as he approached the group, intending to ask a few questions

"I think you need to tend to her hearing," Tsume snickered out, dark eyes dancing, "Chicho might not forgive you if you don't."

"Oh~ I'm so sca~red," Hana mocked, rolling her eyes. Chicho hissed and spat as she jumped down from a nearby tree and approached the three with ears laid back, narrow eyes and a deep low grumble vibrating from her chest.

"Don't scold me sacred-y cat," Hana ordered, turning with Tsume to head back to the path to the waiting box, "_I_ didn't run away!" Chicho looked like she was about bite Hana but Kiba picked her up before she could get too close

"Don't bite _me_!" Kiba whined as the crimson cat sank her teeth into his hand and dug her back claws into his arm; he was very glad to be wearing his thick jacket at that moment, Chicho had _sharp_ claws.

_This generation is as weird as their predecessors_, Genma thought, his grin not falling as he watched the Inuzuka's in amusement. "Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara Sabaku come down here!"

It wasn't long before Gaara was standing in the middle of the arena calmly waiting for his opponent to arrive. Irritation at Sasuke for being late, Gaara decided to start thinking of something to keep himself calm enough to appear to have no emotions about the matter at hand.

…

"_Are you sure?" Temari asked softly_

"_I don't want them to find out the latest updates..." Kankuro answered "What about the plan?"_

"_There isn't one," Gaara answered softly, surprising his siblings "It's been scrapped, get down there Kankuro."_

"_Huh?" Temari and Kankuro uttered with bewildered looks_

"_I spook with Baki a few days ago," Gaara sighed, as if he expected his siblings to know this on their own "Oto is on their own," Gaara's eyes narrowed dangerously at Kankuro "get down there before I __throw__ you."_

"_G-going," Kankuro stuttered hurrying away_

…

That wasn't really helping him, he was still irritated at Kankuro for losing as horrendously as he did and Temari for losing in a similar fashion. He tried to think of other things to keep him busy until Sasuke arrived but the only other thing that came to mind at the moment was his argument with Baki about the invasion.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Gaara turned to look up at the person laughing so cheerfully behind him, every bit of irritation left him as he watched Sakura struggle against a much larger crimson cat pinning her to wall and licking her face cheerfully, he could even hear the giant cat purring from where he stood. "Ch-Chicho~! That tickles!" For a moment in time all Gaara could see was Sakura's bright smiling face and all he could hear was her laughter, he ignored everything around him... until he heard his name in an all to familiar tone of voice.

"_Gaara Sabaku_," the voice was hard, cold and dripping with malice. He knew it at first as the voice his father sometimes used when the council members were watching them spare but at that moment he knew his opponent had arrived.

"Sasuke Uchiha," Gaara greeted with a smirk, turning his pale jade eyes onto the dark haired boy "I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever show."

"I wouldn't miss the chance to beat you," Sasuke said with an irated look "Distracted?" _Stay away from her_

"Are both of you ready?" Genma asked, place a calm hand between them, both boys ignored him

"All men get distracted at some point," Gaara replied coolly, _make me_

"You're younger then _me_," Sasuke growled out in irritation,

"GO!" Genma jumped back just as the cork on Gaara's gourd shot off and a stream of sand burst out towards Sasuke.

"Then _catch up_," Gaara smirked as Sasuke dodged the several swipes of sand aimed at him, he watched as his sand clone formed and dodged most of Sasuke's blows until Sasuke slammed his forearm into his clone's throat only to palm strike it a second later.

"Kick his butt Teme!" Naruto cheered loudly, smiling brightly

"Go Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted just as loudly, distracting Gaara just long enough to give Sasuke an opening to charge at him. Gritting his teeth, Gaara focused on Sasuke again and forced him back, not letting him get too close was the key.

_I get it_, Sasuke thought with a smirk as Gaara focused on his every move, flinching every time Sakura gave out a loud cheer in _his_ favor instead of the red heads (obviously it was because they were teammates, they were _supposed_ to cheer for each other).

"What's the matter Gaara?" Sasuke asked as he dodged a swipe of sand, "cant focus on the fight?" Gaara narrowed his eyes and let his sand coat the ground in a thin layer while distracting Sasuke with another, if only he could get him to trip or at least stumble. "Gotta show off for someone who doesn't even see you?"

Gaara felt his teeth grinned together, his eyes narrowing dangerously at Sasuke as he kept dodging his sand, moving further and further away. Suddenly with a burst of speed, Sasuke swept toward Gaara almost without warning, Gaara glared and let the last of his gourd turn to dust and converge around him. concentrating, Gaara closed his eyes and formed his 'third eye' to watch Sasuke as he charged again at the sand orb, attaching from strait on and above... but not anywhere else. Gaara smirked as Sasuke landed, now he knew how the boy fought; he didn't plan more then ten steps ahead, which meant that Gaara still had a chance to win this fight.

_What the?_ Gaara watched as Sasuke formed a few hand signs and-and seemed to be create a ball of lightning in his hand. Gaara narrowed his eyes as he put two and two together, lightning is stronger then earth, technically Gaara's Sand was of the earth category.

_Damn him_, Gaara thought with gritted teeth, he quickly weakened the back portion of his sand orb and put the sand in the front, thickening that section of the orb. He moved just in time to avoid the glowing hand purge through the burier and skim his arm, sending white-hot sparks up his skin and actually create cuts on his shoulder.

_Now!_ Gaara thought, letting his sand wall constrict on Sasuke's arm while the sand he laid out on the ground rose up to trap Sasuke's feet.

"Damn it!" Sasuke cursed jerking on his arm fruitlessly, his eyes winded when he saw the wall slap around him tightly, letting only his face show to a very pleased looking Gaara.

"I won't kill you," Gaara murmured, pride glinting in his eyes and infuriating Sasuke further, "But I'll break every bone in your body until you give up—starting with your hands."

"Not without a fight," Sasuke snarled, crimson eyes glinting dangerously

"You're loss," Gaara murmured with a frown, surrounding Sasuke's already visible hand with Sand and put some pressure on it. just to show that he was serious, Gaara rubbed his sand over Sasuke's arm, from the elbow down until he was sure he scrapped off at least a layer of skin, _then_ he started to add pressure on Sasuke's trapped hand. He was planning on working from the tips of his fingers to his palm, then up to his wrist and even possibly up to his elbow; but Gaara was interrupted before he could put too much pressure on the Uchiha's arm.

_Pop_

Eyes widening in realization Gaara ducked to the side the second he caught sight of that glint from his side and spun out of Sasuke's range as he continued to charge him with his kunai. Fed up of being forced further away from his Sand trap, Gaara summoned what little of his sand was left on the ground and tripped up the boy in front of him; quickly summoning his sand trap and wrapping both of Sasuke's hands up and stringing him several feet into the air, letting him dangle by his palms.

"I think our little game is over," Gaara murmured looking up at the furious glaring boy

"Not even close," Sasuke hissed, his hands lighting up with that electricity he used earlier

"Fine," Gaara sighed letting Sasuke break free, "More fun for me."

_S#!t!_ Sasuke cursed his eyes lighting up in realization as the sand that was still beside him started to move, slashing out and scrapping against his arms at him as he fell passed; half way to the earth the sand wrapped around his legs and flung him higher into the air only to catch him and fling him back down only to catch him again and repeat the processes.

"I can stop anytime," Gaara said, watching Sasuke get flung around like a rag-doll in boredom "As soon as you forfeit."

"This is going to take a while," Sakura grumbled sitting on the floor and letting her legs dangle between the bars with Chicho's head in her lap. "Sasuke has a bit of a pride issue," Sakura sighed a she leaned back on one hand and scratched the top of Chicho's head with the other.

"Just a little bit?" Temari asked sarcastically

"Hay, he'll think of something," Naruto said defensively

"Not before the proctor calls the match," Sakura said, "this is a kid Sasuke just can't beat within the time frame... perhaps if he had more time..."

"This is boring, he's never going to get enough time to fight back," Genma grumbled, "Gaara Sabaku is the winner!" Genma ignored the ruckus of protests from the audience "Now we'll have a half hour intermission for the participants to rest and the arena to be fixed!"

"Damn it!" Sasuke hissed, glare intensifying on Gaara as he was caught and settled back onto the ground gently, "This isn't over."

"Didn't think it was," Gaara said tilting his head in acknowledgement as they both walked back up to the others "We'll spare again some other time." Sasuke's twitching eyebrow had Gaara smirking as he took his place beside Temari, "Who's next?"

"I think you and Blondie are next," Temari said looking at the rounds on the wall beside her, "Then it's me and pinky... what do you want me to do with her? Easy or get it over with in one shot?"

"...test her" Gaara answered thoughtfully, "if she doesn't pass beat her."

"...seriously?" Temari asked with a raised eyebrow, "No specifics or thoughts, just a random ass test?"

"Come on Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted out suddenly, startling the siblings "I saw Ino earlier and she said she wanted to meet with you as soon as you had the time!"

"N-Naruto!" Sakura stuttered out worriedly, ignoring Sasuke's smirk as they both followed the excited blond, "Slow down! I can walk on my own!"

"Ino said that I had to drag you to her because otherwise you'd run away!" Naruto replied, tugging on Sakura's hand a little harder "Come on! We're already late!"

"What'd you mean we're late?!" Sakura asked loudly, _Damn you Ino for knowing me so well!_

"Well... I kinda was supposed to bring you to her the second your match was over with Sound guy but that didn't happen..." Naruto chuckled, ignoring the looks both of his teammates shot him as he hurried to the closest audience section.

"Hay Gaara," Temari started, turning to look at her little brother who was still watching Team seven hurry down the hall, "Did we really abandon the mission?"

"Yes," Gaara answered, turning to walk away from her, "Should the sound truly attach, then they are on their own... we will not attach the hidden leaf village. That is final."

"How did Baki-sensei respond?" Temari asked curiously as she followed Gaara closely, "I remember you both having that argument last week but I didn't get close enough to hear anything."

"Attaching the leaf will create another war," Gaara said surprising his sister, "it'll show our daimyo nothing but that we're desperate and failing and will prompt other villages to attach us. It'll do us more harm then good to attach the leaf... and father should have realized that, to not think of that is-is very odd for him..." _He thinks of everything, he plans twenty steps ahead..._

"So we stand by our allegiance?" Temari asked, _are you saying what I think you're saying?_

"We stand by our allegiance," Gaara agreed, _yes_

They were both quite as they walked the dark halls, heading for the medical center where Kankuro was recovering. Just out side the door, Temari paused drawing Gaara's attention instantly

"Gaara," Temari said, her eyes clouded to the polished floor of the hall, "Why the change of heart?"

"Because," Gaara paused before he entered the room "I'm tiered of killing."

Temari wanted to hug Gaara right then but he was already in the room and out of her sight

_I think I need to thank a certain pinkette_, Temari thought with a found smile as she walked into the room

"We're losing him!"

Temari's heart about stopped with the panicked shout, her eyes immanently searched for the source and nearly sagged against the doorframe as the medics all surrounded Dosu to her far right. Thankfully, Kankuro was to her left with Shino in the corner and Neji sitting between them with a glare twisting his features and his bloodline pulsing at his eyes.

"I hate medics," Temari hissed as soon as she was within range of her brothers

"He's been off and on since he arrived," Kankuro mumbled, "the rest of us can barely get one medic for more then a minute before his heart starts to fail again. Then it takes them nearly five minuets to stabilize him again. Bug boy's father had to come in himself to remove my poison from him before it could get any worse and white eyes is about to have a hernia."

…

* * *

…

"_We'll wait!_" Kin chuckled at him, eyes dancing in the brightness of the strange pale location, "_We'll wait until your ready... don't rush anything now, ya hear?_"

"_Follow your heart!_" Zaku chuckled, a mischievous light dancing in his eyes, "_oh that's right, you don't have one yet, so follow that thing in your chest!_"

"_Zaku be nice_" Kin scolded, still smiling at Dosu like the patient girl that she is... was "_Take your time Dosu, don't rush anything_"

"_But I wanna be with you!_" Dosu shouted as he tried to pick his pass, ignoring the tears that threatened his vision, "_Please don't leave me! Nee-chan! Nii-tan!_" yes he was younger then them but not by much, just a few days for Kin and a few hours by Zaku, "_Please wait for me!_"

"_Don't make our mistakes_," Zaku shrugged as if it didn't matter, "_I don't know what mistakes I made yet but I think I'm about to find out._"

"_Everyone makes mistakes_," Kin said looking like she wanted smack Zaku "_I knew I should have ran from Orochimaru but you two were so eager._"

"_Eh~? You didn't like him?_" Zaku asked in confusion

"_I knew we should have ran from him_," Kin answered with a roll of her eyes, "_but I followed you two anyways... guess I always will._"

"_Kin! Zaku!_" Dosu shouted out desperately, fear echoing in his body as he tried to move faster, not sure if he was going anywhere, "_Don't leave me!_"

"_But if you're not ready, you're not ready_," Kin said before letting her smile widen, making it seem as if she had the sun hidden behind the skin of her face "_Forge your own path!_"

…

* * *

…

"Where are sound boy's teammates?" Temari asked curiously, looking out over the room, "Shouldn't they be here with him? Didn't they come to the arena?"

"No one else has showed up but the medics and you guys," Kankuro answered coughing weakly, "Have you seen Sensei?"

"No," Temari sighed, shaking her head, "Not since he left to talk to-to dad..."

_BOOM_

"What the hell?!" Temari shouted bracing herself against the wall beside Kankuro, "What's going on now?!"

"It's Oto!" Gaara hissed running from the room and bursting into sand the second he left the room, spiraling down the hall and out of sight faster then if he simply ran.

…

* * *

…

_BOOM_

Ino gave out a startled scream as the arena shook, automatically Sakura wrapped her arms around the blonde protectively as Chōji, Shikamaru, Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi each surrounded them protectively, Kakashi going to so far as blocking a few thrown knifes.

"We're under attach!" Kakashi shouted, Curious Sakura looked around herself, her eyes locking in on the Kage box where a bloom of smoke was rising threateningly. "Team seven and Ten, get the civilians out of here!" Kakashi snapped charging at a group of Oto nin, "I'll cover you!"

"Sensei!" Sakura shouted pulling Ino out of the way of some kunais just in time, "Lord Hokage is in danger!"

"Let Anbu take care of it!" Kakashi snapped out,

"They can't!" Sakura answered pushing Ino behind her and throwing a rigged kunai at a group of enemy Nin nearby, "There's a shield surrounding him and-and I think that's the Kazekage!"

_Damn it, a coup de'et?_ Kakashi thought watching his surroundings carefully, "I said get the civilians out of here!"

"The Chunin's already took care of most of them," Sakura replied, sharp eyes scanning her surroundings carefully as Chicho dashed foreword and grew to large enough to set her head on Kakashi's shoulder comfortably. "Chicho! Get as many civilians out of here as you can! If you need to fight make enough noise to draw Jonin and Anbu! Be safe and careful!" The giant cat let out a floor-trembling roar that brought several Oto Nin to their knees but didn't seem to have an effect on leaf shinobi.

"There's a group over at the exit over there," Sasuke said tugging at Naruto's sleeve and drawing the other's attention quickly "We'll distract the Oto Nin there and you guys get them out!"

"Right!" Sakura pulled Ino onto her back and took off behind Sasuke and Naruto, Shikamaru and Chōji close behind her as they barreled on ahead.

"Back off Teme!" Naruto shouted jumping up and kicking a Nin away from the three civilians, "Sasuke!"

"On it! Sakura!" Sasuke shouted moving through a set of hand signs and throwing out several small balls of fire

"Don't throw fire you idiot!" Sakura snapped out landing in front of the group "Do you want this whole place to catch fire?! Hand-to-hand! No Ninjutsu! _Especially_ elemental Nin-jutsu!"

"Got it!" Sasuke hollered back wielding his kunai knifes in both hands quickly and easily moving through the group

"Please hurry now," Sakura said smiling calmly at the three civilians, "We'll protect you but you have to get to the emergency exit now."

"Y-yes ma'am," the younger girl stuttered, tugging on her grandmother's hand quickly, Shikamaru and Chōji helped the two elders while Sakura and Ino blocked as many thrown weapons as possible, Sakura even threw a few bombs to keep some Oto nin away.

"Ino go with them," Sakura ordered as the three were huddled into the underground exit that was stationed at their current location, "You can't do any of your family's style of fighting and your Taijutsu is poor at best. Take Chōji with you if you must but you need to leave with them."

"Right," Ino murmured dejectedly nodding at her teammates she hurried after them, Chōji quickly mimicking her after a shared nod with Shikamaru.

"I suppose I'm supposed to burry that now," Sakura thought with a sigh, looking at the approaching group of Oto, "the last thing we need is them finding the civilians..."

"We could use their bodies," Shikamaru said thoughtfully, "if you can, can you knock them out?"

"I've never tired to knock anyone out for long periods of time," Sakura said with a frown, "looks like I'm gonna get my first kill today,"

"Then I'm in the same boat," Shikamaru asked putting his back to Sakura's as the group of five surrounded them

"Huh?" Sakura glanced over her shoulder to see what the top of Shikamaru's ponytail

"Do you know any pressure points?" Shikamaru asked suddenly, as if realizing something, "That would be really helpful"

"Oh! Yeah I do but I don't know if—"

"Trust in yourself," Shikamaru said eyes narrowing in on a hastily grabbed kunai, "now!"

Sakura burst forward and slammed a kick into the ground, sending chunks flying into three while Shikamaru trapped another two, unable to move until Sakura spun around and threw an explosive at them. Sakura then grabbed Shikamaru, threw him out of the blast range, and performed substitution just in time to avoid the blast herself.

"Try not to throw me into a thorn bush next time," Shikamaru ordered in irritation as he crawled out of the rose bush

"Sorry Shikamaru," Sakura chuckled, "I thought you'd rather deal with thorns then burns."

Honestly he couldn't disagree

"Let's get back to the others," Shikamaru sighed, "There might be more civilians inside,"

"Right,"

…

* * *

…

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to review!**

**Page 11**


	9. Chapter 9

**A trick up his sleeve**

Chapter 9: finding the hidden

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

…

Kakashi twitched as he saw a wave of sand burst out from the hall beside him trample over the two Oto Nin he was fighting with. Blinking dumbly he turned to take on another group but they got trampled over too, it wasn't long before the entire arena was free of Oto nin—because they were all pilled together in the arena, wrapped up in sand tight enough to turn some hands blue.

"I thought Suna and Oto were working together?" Kakashi murmured to Gai as he landed beside him. The Oto Nin below them all let out screams as the sand crawled over their mouths and suffocated them or at least knocked them out from lack of air; then the sand seemed to dissipate from the pile of Oto Nin, scattering everywhere.

"What is going on?" Gai asked in confusion

"I'm not sure..." Kakashi murmured softly, watching the arena's stands carefully, every Suna nin that was left standing were converging together and talking loudly as if they were confused and didn't know what to do anymore.

…

* * *

…

"Oi! Put me down!" Sakura snapped as the sand carried her down the hall and into sunlight, Shikamaru was still chasing after her and it wasn't long before Sasuke was beside her, surprising her at the sight that he was also covered in sand and being jerked away from the arena.

"Protect me," ordered a familiar voice, turning Sakura saw Gaara plump himself in the middle of the street and let his sand drop from their bodies to scatter over the streets and buildings. Sasuke and Sakura shared a look and jumped forward to stand on either side of Gaara with Shikamaru ducking into a shaded place out of sight.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked, watching as down the street a trundle of sand crawled up the edge of building and seemed to form what looked like a speaker.

"_This is Gaara Sabaku, the Kazekage's youngest son_," Gaara said, holding one hand to his throat with his eyes closed, his voice echoed around the village. "_All Suna Shinobi stop what you're doing and listen to me, my father the Kazekage has been murdered and impersonated by Orochimaru the Otokage._"

…

* * *

…

_Ah that explains it,_ Kakashi sighed, listening to the speaker beside him as his eyes scanned the seats for any hidden shinobi carefully

"_Baki-sensei was supposed to report back to our village and tell you to remain there, as we have yet to see him this pass week it can be assumed that Sound's mole, Kabuto Yakushi, has killed him and made it impossible for him to return to our village_."

Well that was interesting info

Kakashi and Gai shared a look, with a nod they scanned the through the Oto nin quickly, searching for that glasses wearing, gray haired boy.

Konoha didn't like spies; they had a tendency to _disappear_ before the main populace even realized they were gone... mostly because some interrogators go a little too far but that's beside the point

…

* * *

…

"_As such all Sand shinobi have two choices_,"

"This should be good" Temari snorted, unable to hide her smirk

"_You are to aid the hidden leaf regardless of whatever order you were given. If you disobey this order you will be recognized as a Nuke-nin; therefore I can legally crush you __and__ get paid for it. The choice is yours_"

"Well he's in a good mood," Temari snickered

"That's a good mood?" Neji asked with a raised eyebrow

"Normally he doesn't give warnings," Kankuro replied, rolling his eyes

"_Don't give me the mike!_" a shrill voice sounded over the speakers, silencing them "_What do you expect me to say? You just scared everyone in the village to within an inch of their life!_"

"_Like you're helping_," a deep voice grumbled to the female one, "_Quite your—Sakura behind you!_" proceed with several unidentifiable sounds, some explosions, a few shouts and some more unidentifiable sounds.

"what the—" "_Get off me!_" "—Hell?" Kankuro stared dumbly at the speaker, not sure what to make of the strange sounds.

"Either Gaara just killed someone or they just got ambushed," Temari snickered, "Either way, Gaara's having fun."

"I'm not sure if that's good or bad," Kankuro grumbled

"I'll stand out side and make sure no Oto-Nin's get through," Temari said walking to the exit, "Do try not to kill each other."

…

* * *

…

"Give us a heads up before you decide to crush someone!" Sakura snapped out at Gaara, flinging her hands to either side of herself in disgust, "I'm covered in blood! Oh my goodness this is so grows!"

"Don't move I think that's moving," Sasuke said looking at something that was still on Sakura's back

"What?!"

"I said don't move!"

"Get it off!"

"I'm trying!" Sasuke snapped, "You keep moving!"

"You aren't covered in three people's blood!" Sakura snapped back looking like she might cry

"It's just a piece of heart," Gaara grumbled, standing nearby without a drop of blood on him, his sand shield having protected him from the backlash of blood and body parts

"Just?!" Sakura repeated with a pale (green?) face, as if she just saw a ghost and wanted to throw up but somehow couldn't.

"You two look like hell," Shikamaru chuckled peaking out from his completely blood splattered wooden barrier, "how the hell did you manage to get your front covered in blood but not on your back?" Shikamaru asked, looking pointedly at Sasuke

"Unlike Sakura wasn't standing in the middle," Sasuke retorted with a glare at the lazy boy, knowing that the boy had dived for cover just in the nick of time and failed to warn them

"If you're going to whine then next time I won't throw you away from the damn bomb!" Sakura snapped turning to glare at Sasuke venomously

"Sasuke! Sakura!" Kakashi called out, relieve flooding his voice, "Thank heavens you're both—" Kakashi cut himself off as Sasuke turned to reveal a blood stained Sakura and his own blood covered front. Kakashi felt his eyes bug out of his head at the sight of his two students, "What the hell happened?!"

"He didn't warn us," the two in question answered simultaneously, glaring pointedly at Gaara

"Sensei this is so grows!" Sakura whined again, flinging her hands out in front of herself like she did when there was a particularly large spider near her things at their training ground, "I need a shower!"

"Wait for the attach to be over," Sasuke hissed

"That's the worse part!" Sakura whined again, "When is this going to end?! I can't let mom see me like this! She'll have a heart attach!"

Neither child saw Kakashi do a wave of hand signs nor did they notice Gaara quickly remove himself form their presence

"SENSEI!" Sasuke and Sakura both screamed out as a huge wave crashed down on them and rinsed them clean of the blood but also nearly drowned them in the processes.

"On your feet!" Gai shouted as he landed in front of a sputtering gasping Sasuke and Sakura, taking out three Oto nin at the same time, "No is no time to be laying about!"

_You try getting drowned by your own sensei,_ both teens glared at Gai as he ran off and let their glare intensify as Kakashi walked towards them calmly

"Well, get up you two," Kakashi chuckled scratching the back of his head with a light chuckle "The village is under attach still..."

"...If only this was training," Sakura grumbled climbing to her feet and ringing the water out of her hair and sleeves, "I would so throw a tree at you."

"Perhaps later," Gaara said appearing on a cloud of sand beside Sakura, "I need you and possibly Hatake-san to come with me."

"Huh? Why?" Sakura asked looking up at Gaara curiously

"Lord Hokage is in need of a medic and you are the closest one," Gaara answered calmly, "Hatake-san and my self can protect you as you tend to lord Hokage."

"Sensei?" Sakura asked turning to look at her teacher unsurely

"It'd be best if there was a different medic," Kakashi sighed, "but he's right in that you are the closest one..." Sakura nodded and took Gaara's offered hand and stepped onto his sand cloud unsurely

"What about me?" Sasuke asked, looking between Gaara and Kakashi, "What do I do?"

"Find Naruto and stick close to him," Kakashi answered stepping onto the sand cloud uneasily, "Find the nearest Jonin and receive your next set of instructions, hopefully they won't be suicidal."

"I'll see you later Sasuke-kun!" Sakura smiled and waved as Gaara lifted them high into the air and headed straight for the high purple barrier. "What kind of barrier is that sensei?"

"A forbidden one no doubt" Kakashi sighed, "What can you see Sakura? Can you break down the four's most likely abilities?"

"I can't see the eastern point, the trees are in the way, same with the southern point...," Sakura said with narrowed eyes, trying to examine the closest barrier caster, "west point looks like his bloodline is something to do with spiders, he might use a special kind of thread... I suggest sending Hyūga's or Aburame after him."

"Got it," Kakashi said as he made a mental note to himself to borrow the Anbu captain's head set "Can you see north point?"

"I'm not sure... but it looks like he might related to the Akimichi clan," Sakura murmured, smiling with a nod at Gaara as they drifted closer to the corner in question. "Hmm he has quite the gut on him... he might not like close combat... but you don't want him to hit you either... maybe he's the ninjutsu specialist? But he'd need to pretty fast and it doesn't look like that's his best feature..."

"Perhaps sending a few Akimichi's to handle him would be best," Kakashi murmured, "Gaara can you get us to see the south and east points?" Gaara nodded and quickly circled the barrier,

"Oh she's genjutsu type," Sakura said staring at the pink haired girl at the eastern point,

"Are you sure?" Kakashi asked _Even I can't tell from this distance_

"Yeah she only has that flute on her," Sakura answered, pointing to the small metal thing attached to her back held in place by her belt, "Judging from my fight with Dosu, that flute is properly her only weapon... I suggest a Nara with a strong sense of Genjutsu... or maybe someone who's really good at detecting and breaking Genjutsu?"

"Right, what about him?" Kakashi asked, looking at the last corner pointedly

"Southern point? I'm not sure," Sakura answered with a soft sigh, "I think he has two heads but I'm not sure... they're experiments right? Maybe it's some kind of blood line...Orochimaru likes bloodlines right? Especially the unique ones?"

"What kind of benefits would having two heads be?" Gaara asked with a raised eyebrow

"Well if it is a bloodline... they could be twins," Sakura answered glancing at him curiously "In which case the one who's acting as the main body is properly the one with the most practice as the main body. The benefits of their combination would most likely be a faster healing process... and maybe... maybe the submissive twin can put himself in other's bodies too... or they both might have that ability... I-I don't know... there are too many possibilities..."

"So don't touch twin boy," Kakashi murmured, "Got any plans for knocking down that barrier?"

"All barriers fail when their foundation or casters are disrupted," Sakura answered studying the shield carefully. "Can we bring down the roof? It'd offset their balance and make them lose concentration of their chakra..." _but we can't bring down the whole thing..._

"...So the shield would fall..." Kakashi said thoughtfully, a dozen different plans already forming in his mind, "Gaara get us to that Anbu team over there."

"I might be able to unbalance them without doing much damage to the building," Gaara said as they nearly dropped onto the Anbu team who were supposed to be protecting the Hokage.

"Please do so," Sakura answered as they landed, Gaara nodded and stepped around the confused team, studying his distance from the west and north points carefully. As Kakashi updated the Anbu captain with only a slight jester towards Sakura who was standing in front of Gaara, ready to burst into the forest, Gaara slammed his hands into the roof and sent his sand under the tiles and towards the two closet gatekeepers. Closing his eyes in concentration, Gaara decided to take out the more troublesome gatekeepers at the south and north points; they were the ones with the too many possibilities.

The south and north gate keepers let out pained screams as Gaara's sand tore up from their feet and stabbed straight through them, taking out lungs and hearts and anything else that was in it's way. The West and East gatekeepers cursed as the shield fell, their voices loud in panic as sand burst up from their feet and nearly caught them.

"Now!" Kakashi ordered just as the portion in front of them fell away, Sakura and Gaara burst forward with the Anbu hot on their heals.

"Let go of him!" Sakura screamed out as she jumped down on Orochimaru and Hiruzen, Gaara's sand sweeping forward to keep the sword still so Sakura could remove it herself. Orochimaru cursed as he found himself surrounded by the team of Anbu, Kakashi and Gaara's sand that locked onto his body from the waist down.

"Hold on lord Hokage," Sakura murmured as she landed and pressed glowing palms on either side of Hiruzen's abdomen, nodding at the Anbu member who landed beside her. "I'm ready, gently now you don't want to cause more damage,"

"Right," the man nodded and slowly removed the sword until it was completely clear and out of Sakura's way. They waited patiently as Sakura closed her eyes and concentrated, minutes passed and still there was no improvement in Hiruzen's physical condition.

"What's wrong?" the Anbu beside her asked, as if he was afraid of the answer "Why is he still bleeding?"

"You'll never save him," Orochimaru chuckled at Sakura.

"I know," Sakura murmured softly with clenched teeth, "but I won't give up. Even if I run out of chakra in two minutes—I won't give up"

"That sword is poisoned brat," Orochimaru panted, his vision doubling as the Shinigami tugged at his soul further into the seal

"You'll be dead soon," Hiruzen wheezed back, a smile tugging at his lips

"You'll die before you finish that jutsu," Orochimaru growled out

"Sakura-chan" Hiruzen sighed, a frown twisting his features, "I'm sorry child but could you—"

"yes sir," Sakura said with trembling lips, tears dripping down her face, "yes sir..." the chakra surrounding her hands glowed a haunting blue instead of her original soft emerald, "forgive me sir..."

"No! Damn you child!" Orochimaru hissed out as the seal strengthened and the hand pulling on his soul tightened it's grip

"I don't blame you child," Hiruzen chuckled, blood dripping passed his lips, "You are following orders."

"I-I n-ne-ever-r" Sakura stammered out, fat tears marking clear paths down her cheeks, "M-my first ki-kill... *hick* i-it w-wasn't..."

"I'm sorry," Hiruzen murmured a tear dropping passed his eye as he looked apologetically at Sakura "I'm sorry to make you do this child."

"I hope you die as well," Orochimaru hissed venomously at Sakura, "I hope your heart stops just like his!"

"Sakura!" Gaara shouted out with wide eyes, he dropped the sand on Orochimaru and quickly covered Sakura from the strange golden arrow aimed right for her. Sakura let out a startled shout as Gaara tackled her to the side, just in time to dodge most of the blow that went threw both of Hiruzen's arms that ended up freeing Orochimaru.

"Damn it!" Kakashi shouted as a horde of spiders and strange landscape erupted around them, obscuring Orochimaru "Sakura!"

"K-Kai!" a huge blast of chakra burst around the area, disrupting the genjutsu and showing the retreating figures of the girl carrying Orochimaru and the six armed boy carrying his teammate's bodies, another dark figure soon joined them and helped the pinkette carry Orochimaru.

"Lord Hokage!" Sakura shouted scrambling to her knees and pressing her green glowing palms against Hiruzen's chest, "hold on sir! I-I can st-still save y-you!" The Anbu cursed as they tried to get rid of the spiders, it would take time but they could get rid of them... if only the girl's skills were stronger then they feared or if Hiruzen's wounds would just _heal_.

"I-it's okay s-Sakura," Hiruzen coughed wetly, "I-I want y-you to kn-know s-something..."

"Please don't speak sir," Sakura panted, eyes closing tightly as she focused, "this is hard enough... I-I don't... I don't have enough..."

"It's okay," Hiruzen smiled, as Gaara swamped the area and got ride of the spiders in one fowl swoop "I-I'm not y-your if-first k-kill,"

"Here," Sakura jumped as the Anbu who helped her before placed his hands over hers, "Use mine"

"Thank you," Sakura murmured with a smile, it wasn't long before the others pressed their own glowing palms over Sakura's, lending her their chakra.

"Child," Hiruzen coughed, "I performed a forbidden jutsu, y-you c-can't save me..."

"I can try," Sakura answered with a sniff, "Who'll lead this village if you're gone? Naruto? The village will become a giant ramen bowl by the end of the day." Hiruzen chuckled at the mental image that produced, he could picture Naruto dancing in joy and diving into the worlds biggest bowl of ramen... what good picture to die with

"The jutsu I performed... Kakashi-kun knows it well" Hiruzen coughed. Kakashi sighed from where he crouched, he gently removed his own glowing hands from Sakura's, now knowing what Hiruzen was talking about. "H-he'll t-tell you a-about it... I-I g-got his a-arms... s-sorry..."

"Please keep talking," Sakura murmured with a soft smile at Hiruzen, "You have to keep talking lord Hokage... please?"

"I-it's n-not y-your f-fault," Hiruzen whispered with a soft smile, "re-remember-r th-that..."

"I will but you have to keep talking lord Hokage..." Sakura murmured, "Please stay awake... _Please_"

"Tsu-Tsunade w-would b-be proud," Hiruzen chuckled, thinking about how stubborn her father was and how it was perfectly reflected into her, "Th-the day y-you were born..."

"I was a still born," Sakura whispered, tears dropping from her face again, "I know, dad told me..."

"Di-did he t-tell you, he ran three hours strait f-for Ts-Tsunade?" Hiruzen asked with a soft chuckle, "Sh-she n-nearly killed him..."

"Please tell me more," Sakura whispered, "Please... Lord Hokage... Please keep talking... _Please..._" _Stay awake..._

But it was too late, Hiruzen Sarutobi died with a fond smile on his face, Sakura's still glowing palms were rested on his chest until Kakashi pulled her back and cradled her close as she cried on him.

…

* * *

…

"Is everyone well?" Gaara asked as he stepped into the medical wing of the arena

"Gaara," Kankuro waved cheerfully from his bed, "Awesome speech little bro, I'm proud of you."

"I'm not," Gaara turned to see a familiar face glare up at him from the other side of the room "Who said I was dead? Little brat"

"Sorry Baki-sensei," Gaara said with a smirk, obviously not meaning it in the least "You disappeared for a week, we had no clues to go on"

"So you automatically thought that Kabuto killed me?" Baki asked with a glare, ignoring the medic tending to his broken arm, "Goodness boy do you have that little faith in me?"

"Just covering all the bases" Gaara answered, "Where have you been this past week?"

"I left the village right after our conversation," Baki answered with a frown, "About a day or so out I was attached by Oto Nin, I've been spending my time since trying to heal."

"And you're a fool for not coming straight back!" the medic hissed at him, a glare twisting his features in irritation, "You're damn lucky that boy called you out! Otherwise you'd never have been found!"

"Where is Temari?" Gaara asked Kankuro, ignoring the squabbling between Baki and his medic

"She had to handle some annoying Oto Nin," Kankuro answered with a shrug, "Bug boy left to help her but I haven't seen either one for a good hour or so now." Gaara nodded his head and sent his sand out to search for Temari's chakra signature, she was pretty low on chakra the last time he checked, she shouldn't have gone so far from the medical wing. "White eyes left soon after words, didn't even bother saying anything to the medics, I think it's a leaf thing because bug boy didn't say anything either."

"Gaara!" Baki snapped out as if the red head had done something wrong, both siblings turned to look at Baki "Do you really belief your father is dead?"

"...Father would have known better then to attach the hidden leaf," Gaara answered, "He always plans twenty steps ahead..."

"What did he say the last time you saw him?" Kankuro asked curiously, as if he just realized something, "I don't know about you or sis but he told me to start training with that crazy ass elder Chiyo."

…

"_Gaara..." he was sitting on the highest point in the village, a place he came to think mostly out of boredom. Only his father could sneak up on him in this near impossible place anyways. "I know I properly failed as your father but in case something happens to me before you come back from the chunin examines... I'm sorry for the way I treated you... as Kazekage I have no choice but to protect my village before my family."_

"_So you sealed Shukaku into me," Gaara interrupted with a roll of his eyes, it was old news_

"_That was your mother's idea," his father replied calmly, surprising Gaara "I simply... I simply followed her... but that's not what I meant. I should have stood up to the council and I didn't..."_

"_What do you mean?" Gaara asked, turning to look back at his father curiously_

"_I mean... I-I..." his father stumbled for words, finally he gave up with heavy sigh "I'm ashamed of what I've done... yet I am proud of how strong you've become..."_

_The words were so soft, Gaara could barely make them out and he was sure he missed a few in that soft whisper that the wind carried away like prayer to the stars showing that night_

…

"He... I don't know what he wanted..." Gaara answered simply, shrugging his shoulders careless. _Father has always worn more then one mask, a mask for Temari, a mask for Kankuro, a mask for me, a mask for the council, a mask for the village, a mask for the daimyo... did he wear a mask for mother?_

"I'm sure some day you'll understand his words," Baki said settling his hand on Gaara's shoulder and startling the boy out of his thoughts, "I may not know what he said but I'm sure someday you'll understand, you take a lot after him after all."

"I do?" Gaara asked with a frown

"Hai," Baki gave a slight tilt to his lips, as if he was trying to smile encouragingly at him, "Didn't you ever notice how he acted differently in front of you with the council and when you were alone? That's why all of us Jonin were so hesitant to interrupt you both when you were together; the council members were just blind old bats."

"I thought all the Jonin's were afraid of me," Gaara replied tilting his head curiously at Baki

"Most were," Baki admitted, "Mostly the girls because they were afraid of gushing over you and ending up as pulp for their efforts."

"...I don't understand," Gaara mumbled

"Some day you will," Kankuro chuckled before wincing and hissing in pain, "Oh ow, that one hurt"

…

* * *

…

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 11**


	10. Chapter 10

**A trick up his sleeve**

Chapter 9: finding the hidden

Koomahana

**If you didn't noticed I got a little exited last week with updating, everyone's reviews made me feel so loved I updated too quickly**

**As such after this chapter it might be awhile before the next one**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

…

Naruto laughed as he caught sight of Sasuke, his clothes were still soaking wet, his hair was splattered to one side of his head, and he had a fine tremor crawling over his shoulders. On his left was a weak Shino leaning on him for support and on his right was Temari, who was half leaning on her fan and half on him, blushing prettily and everything.

"Shut up and help me," Sasuke grumbled in irritation, "I can't hold them both up."

"A-alright," Naruto chuckled stepping over and lifting Temari's arm over his shoulder, "So you hear anything from Sakura-chan yet?"

"She, sensei and Gaara went to help lord Hokage," Sasuke answered, adjusting Shino carefully, "That's the last I saw of them."

"Eh~?! You mean Jiji needs help and I wasn't called on?!" Naruto asked loudly, as if it should have been him to help the old man out

"You're not a medic," Sasuke snapped back, "Now come on we have to get back to the infirmly here, they need to rest."

"I'm fine," Temari sighed lifting herself off Naruto with a disappointed look

"What you don't like blondes?" the three turned to see Shikamaru approaching with a smirk on his face, "Other then yourself I mean."

"Shut it Nara," Temari hissed, "you try flinging five fully grown men away from your little brother, it's not easy."

"I'm fairly sure I wouldn't _fling_ them," Shikamaru retorted with a smirk, "Throw a paper bomb or distract them sure but I wouldn't _fling_ them."

"You know what I mean," Temari said with narrow eyes

…

* * *

…

Ino sighed in her seat, despite having little more power then most civilians she and Chōji alternated between sitting in the hall as a guard and sitting in the room with the children, trying to keep them calm in the darkness of the hidden room. She didn't know how long they've been in the hidden room but she knew that if she didn't do something soon she'd loose feeling in her legs.

_Click-clack, click-clack, click-clack_

Ino perked up at the strange sound, her head tilting to the side and her eyes closing as she tried to figure out which way it was coming from. Left would be further inside the base so that would be allies but right would lead to outside which meant a thirty percent increase in chances of it being enemy shinobi.

_Click-clack, click-clack, click-clack_

_...the right,_ Ino frowned and rose to her feet, knocking twice on the door behind her and drawing two kunai and held them behind her cautiously. She could almost hear Chōji on the other side of the door, his voice soft and smooth as he silenced the children and readied himself beside it, wiry of giving his position away so soon. She waited patiently, listening to the soft footsteps, trying to tell if there was more then one, if it was hurried or any other characteristics that she could take note of.

_Click-clack, click-clack... click-clack, click-clack_

Singular...

_Click-clack, click-clack... click-clack... click-clack,_

Close together,... they're taking small steps... small in stature or a maybe a child... no a child would make more noise...

_Click-clack, click-clack... click-clack... click-clack,_

Soft, almost hesitant, as if searching for something... Anbu would be confident in the path they're walking and Jonin's would've made themselves known by now. Frowning Ino took a deep breath and nearly choked on the familiar smell of blood, her father smelled like that sometimes, regardless of much he scrubbed himself before coming home. So either they were heavily wounded or they just fought so many people they gave up on trying to stay clean in this invasion.

_Click-clack, click-clack... click-clack, click... clack..._

_Their getting softer_, Ino noted, opening her eyes to stare into the darkness straight ahead, _They've stopped._ She could see a pair of black boots in the fire light nearly six feet from her position, locking in on them she could see a small trail of blood leading up the boot and to the shadow cloaked leg. Ino smoothed her face out in a near perfect mimicry of her father's face when he was busy with a case and didn't see her standing in front of him. Rising her eyes slowly, Ino noted the shadow cloaked figure had a mescaline body structure, he was about six feet, possibly 180-200 pounds (She'd have her work cut out for her if she has to fight), she could see the outline of what appeared to be the standard black uniform most higher ranked shinobi wore (She was out classed, most likely won't make it out of this alive), she could almost see the way his hair fell to the side and what looked like the handle of a sword on his back peeking over his shoulder.

"Who are you?" Ino asked, not showing her surprise at how steady her voice was, "Show you're self." The shadow simply stood there as if the strange man was staring at her, either dully in apathy, amusement for her order or curiosity, Ino wouldn't know. She gave no sign of her slight irritation as the man stood stock still in front of her, seemingly studying her—she mimicked Sakura's trick anyways, charging her kunai blades with shaky looking blue chakra.

"..." Ino saw the man tilt his head to the side in an almost curious manner, she hissed and raised her blades just in time to block the three thrown shiriken quickly.

"_Oto!_" Ino hissed, knowing that it was the sound shinobi who were attaching her village (She didn't notice anyone else before she was hurried away with the group of civilians), "How did you get here?"

"You're fast," the man murmured, his voice sounding strange in the darkness of the stone hall, "And good chakra control... it's not easy filling your blades with chakra much less keeping a steady line of it." Ino swept her back leg out and settled herself into her academy style Taijutsu form, she knew she didn't have a chance, not with a higher rank standing in front of her, but she could at least give Chōji some time to find a way out for the children behind her.

"Ah, you must be one of the famed 'Rooky nine'," Ino's eyes narrowed at the shadow, "you are the blond kunochi... that makes you Ino Yamanaka of team ten, under the instructor of Asuma Sarutobi."

"Who are you?" Ino asked again with gritted teeth, now was not the time to worry about being a girl. As Sakura said, it was time for her to treat her training seriously, she may not survive this encounter but she would give Chōji a chance to get the children out of the room.

"I am none of your concern," the man answered, drawing one foot back and turning away, "I was merely wondering what that annoying little buzz was—now I know." Ino didn't relax in her stance; she stayed low, ignoring the pressure of her tight skirt biting into her knee and the tension in the shoulders of her top.

"I do have a question for you Ms. Yamanaka," the man stopped and seemed to look back at her, "I understand that Ms. Haruno damaged your right arm's chakra net work." Ino could nearly hear her teeth grinding together, she lowered her stance further and lifted her blades higher, letting them glow brightly with her sapphire chakra. "How is it that you can fill your blades the way you do? Dose it not case you pain?"

"So sorry _mister_," Ino tried to be polite but she couldn't pull out all of the mockery in her voice, old habits die-hard, "But my parents taught me not to speak to strangers."

"Yet you still do," the man chuckled, shaking his head and walking away, "yet you still do..."

Ino kept up her stance in stubborn determination and fear, her eyes closed as she listened to her surroundings carefully. Chōji kept his body huddled in the doorway, listening and waiting for Ino's voice or defensive movement that indicated her need for help.

Ino and Chōji would not move for the next hour

…

* * *

…

"Hay Gaara," Temari smiled and waved as she entered the arena medical wing with the gaggle of boys close behind her. "Oh my goodness! Sensei!"

"No tackling!" Baki snapped but it was too late, Temari already flung her arms around his neck "Damn it I'm wounded here!"

"Oh _now_ you complain," the nurse grumbled, rolling her eyes, "You have no problem thumping the boys and arguing with them but the second your daughter gets here you're suddenly a wounded man."

"She's not my kid!" Baki snapped with a slight blush at the thought, he wasn't _that_ old

"But you did raise us," Kankuro snickered out "well, technically you did"

"You mean sealing me in my room for three days is normal amongst parents?" Gaara asked curiously looking at both of his siblings curiously

"Only for you," they chimed together with chuckles

…

* * *

…

Two hours after the strange man left, Ino heard another set of footsteps, these ones quick and fast as if the runner was in a rush. Ino heard the noise and jumped to her feet again, knocked on the door twice, and drew her kunai knifes again, holding them behind herself again as she listened to the hurried steps. The hurried steps made an audible sound as the runner skidded to a halt at the mouth of the hall...

"It's over!" a feminine voice shouted down the hall, "The invasion is over! Konoha won!"

Ino blinked and looked back at the door, her lips twisting into a frown

"Hello? Is anyone down there?" the voice called out softly, "Shouldn't you be happy?"

If she answered and it turned out to be an enemy they could over whelm her and slaughter the children...

"It's okay I'm a friend!"

_Prove it,_ Ino thought not moving from her calm stance in front of the door; she refused to put those children in danger.

"Okay here's some news you might not know since you arrived," Ino perked up at the possibility of new in formation "The Hokage died fighting Orochimaru." The voice was soft and steady, almost sad sounding... Ino knew for a fact that a good kunochi could trick the enemy into thinking they were safe if they controlled the tones of voice they used. She's used it for petty things on boys all the time, a smile and batting her eyelashes usually got her a free ice cream cone or something just as nice.

"Do you believe me?" the voice asked curiously, "look you don't have to be so silent! I know you're there; I can feel your chakra! I'm a sensor!" Ino glanced back at the door worriedly, if she spook up she could possibly get those kids killed... what if they were the only ones left in her village? (She refused to even think that they were the only survivors of the attach but what if the kids trusting her with their lives were the only kids left?)

"Look I'm going to rattle off some names and if you recognize one I'll most likely know..." Ino lifted an eyebrow at the dark expanse before her, "I'm a sensor I can sense the different wave lengths accompanied with certain emotions... I just have to be focused with no distractions..."

_Should I fight?_ Ino thought, glancing back at the door worriedly, there were about twenty children hiding behind it, including the Sandaime's grandson, her sensei's nephew. If this woman was an enemy and killed the snot nosed brat she'd be in some deep stuffing... then again she'd be dead but that was beside the point.

_What do I do?_ Ino thought stepping back and out of the light of the torch, letting the dark hallway cloud over her like a protective embrace. _Sensei... find us, save us... sensei...Find us!_

…

* * *

…

Asuma twitched as he felt the band on his wrist start to warm up, looking down he realized that it was glowing Ino's signature warm blue. Softly the bracelet formed Ino's chakra signature into numbers—her location.

_Damn it_, Asuma thought with wide eyes, snapping around and running away from the group of Jonin's he grew up with. _Where the hell is Anbu? I thought they were protecting the safe houses?!_

"Asuma!" Kurenai called out as she hurried after him, "What's the matter?"

"Someone's in the safe houses!" Asuma shouted, "Ino just gave me her location through our bracelets! It's used for emergencies only. I can immanently find each of my students and in a pinch they can find me but that's not what's important right now!"

"Then what is?" Kakashi asked as he followed close behind with Gai on his other side

"Ino and Chōji are supposed to be protecting the academy students in the safe houses!" Asuma shouted out, his pace quickening, "Ino just put chakra into her transmitter; someone is trying to get access to the children!" It went unsaid that his younger brother's son was apart of the academy, which meant that he was also hiding with Ino and Chōji. Ten minutes later, the four Jonin's were running down a dark hall behind the Hokage faces; after another five they heard a woman's voice echo back to them.

"Damn it why won't you just belief me or even speak to me?!" the woman shouted ahead of them, "I mean you no harm!"

_It's Ino alright_, Asuma thought with a sigh, "It's alright Yukane-san I got this one!"

"Huh? Asuma-kun?" the young chunin called looking up at him curiously, "I thought you were still in the village collecting the enemy Nin?"

"I came when I felt Ino call me," Asuma explained holding up his now black bracelet, he turned to walk down the hall but ended up jumping back as a kunai landed just a few inches from where he stood previously.

"Damn it Ino what did I tell you about doing that?!" Asuma shouted down the dark hall in irritation, trying to ignore the narrowed eyed look from Kurenai "You nearly took my toe!"

…

"_Damn girl your aim is horrid," he chuckled, looking palely down at the kunai imbedded inches away from his big toe. "You nearly removed my toe..."_

"_S-Sorry Asuma-sensei" Ino chuckled, scratching the back of her head nervously, "I didn't see you there... normally I have better aim but I'm trying something new today... sorry about that..."_

…

_Nothing_, Asuma thought with a frown, when she was under pressure Ino had a tendency to keep her mouth shut and lash out with her kunai blades or just let Shikamaru handle her particular annoyance.

"So wait up, that person down there is _your_ student?" Yukane asked, dark eyes looking up at Asuma curiously

"Yes and _her_ name is Ino Yamanaka," Asuma sighed

"Your student tried to kill me when I tried to get down there," Yukane growled out, putting her hands on her hips and glaring up at Asuma, "She threw a paper bomb at me and refused to let me get more then ten feet down the hall."

"...She took a page out of Sakura's book," Kakashi sighed, rubbing at his face tiredly, "I have to talk to Sakura about her little obsession with bombs..."

"Did she also teach that brat how to put chakra into her blades?" Yukane asked, flicking a dark curl over her shoulder irated, "Because I had a hell of a time dodging some of those." Yukane pointed to the wall directly behind her, were five kunai blades were buried up to their hilts with a near perfect three inch indent surrounding each of them.

"...I'm beginning to think Ino copied that one from either you or Sakura" Kakashi grumbled looking at Asuma

"Properly both," Asuma chuckled with a strained looking smile, "Alright one more time." Asuma snapped around and walked a little further down the hall, stopping at the kunai that was imbedded in the stone floor.

"Alright Ino listen up!" Asuma heard his voice echo down the hall so he knew the blonde could hear him perfectly well, "The day we first met I teased you three about crying at the mention of 'hard work', you three then coughed together and informed me that you weren't used to cigarette smoke." Ino smiled at the memory but her eyes narrowed a second later, quickly she disrupted her chakra just in case—nothing changed. "A month later I interrupted your private training because you were late for practice, which wasn't normal for you and you damn near took off my toe! After that I tried to help you with your practice but you wouldn't even bother showing it to me."

Ino looked at the cracked open door to see Chōji's unsure features, he wanted to belief that it was Asuma-sensei but they just couldn't be safe enough yet. It was bad enough that Ino had placed the torch inside the room for the children's benefit, a few minutes after the woman appeared, which left Ino in nothing but complete darkness.

"Alright is Chōji listening?" Ino stiffened and glared down the hall, not sure if she should be frightened for the children's benefit, "Chōji do you remember what I told you when you woke up and saw Ino asleep beside you in the hospital?" Ino was very interested when she saw the bright blush on her teammate's face, shown to her by the firelight in the room, "Sorry Ino but you might want to cover your ears for this part."

_Like hell_, Ino snorted and rolled her eyes

"Chōji woke up and had a mini panic attack, his first words were 'did I d—'"

"Okay Asuma-sensei we know it's you!" Chōji shouted slamming the door open and sliding half way out of the room, face nearly glowing in the darkness, "Thank you for comforting us!"

"Us? I'm not comforted in the least," Ino grumbled rising to her feet and stepping into the room as Chōji went down the hall with a torch in hand. "Children are you ready?"

"Is it time to go home now?" one of the children asked, hope shinning in her dark eyes, "I want to see mommy."

"I'm sure you'll see her soon enough," Ino murmured reaching down and lifting one of the sleepy children into her arms, "Stand together now, everyone behind me? Okay slowly now, no rushing... oh, everyone grab your neighbor's hand—no wining or I'll leave you here, got that?" there were mumbled complaints but they each followed her instructions, knowing that she had been the one to face off against a dangerous stranger and again delayed another until someone familiar came along.

"Calmly now everyone," Ino ordered with a soft smile and even softer voice, "Follow me, don't stray, Konohamaru, Udon, keep Moegi up now."

"Okay," both boys mumbled as they each put one of the orangett's arms over their shoulders and carried her out the door with the rest of the class.

"Chōji?" Ino called softly, standing in the door way and listening carefully, "is it safe?"

"Yeah Ino," Chōji called back from down the hall, "it's just red eyes, green creeper and albino-wanna-be are with sensei"

_Thwack!_

"Ow! She picked the names!"

_Whatever, at least I know it's safe now_, Ino sighed smiling as she walked out of the room and moved towards her teammates with the twenty children huddled close behind her, eager to return home but too afraid to leave her side.

…

* * *

…

He had gone to her to apologize, to speak with her and hope that she won't get violet with him before he could finish his explanation. Unfortunately when he went to her home she wasn't there, he then went to her clan's compound but they refused to let him enter; so he turned to dust and see if he couldn't find her that way. He did find her, at the top peer of her family's estate, with the clan head drinking tea calmly.

"I apologize for the interruption," Gaara said as he landed on his feet just off of the porch, "I was denied at the gates, I was mealy hoping to—"

"Lover!" Gaara's eyes widened as a crimson and pink blur barreled into him, he stumbled back with the sudden added weight and found himself in the dirt seconds later. He stared dumbly at the very amused looking woman sitting in the room beyond the porch, teacup raised halfway to her lips.

"Ah you must be the sand boy," the woman drawled lazily, sipping her tea. "And Sakura-chan's dream lover, by the sounds of it."

"I'm a little lost," Gaara admitted, glancing down at the smiling pinkette in his lap, Sakura just giggled and rubbed her face against his neck, her arms wrapped tightly around him in a hug.

"This tea," the woman lifted her cup to make a point about what Sakura had drank and what she was going to drink, "Let's one walk a specific dream that's been bothering them lately. The drinker thinks about the dream and drink the tea at the same time, the tea basically lets the drinker relive the dream but in bright clarity. What was confusing before is perfectly clear with the help of the dream, get it now?"

"...I fail to see how this involves me," Gaara said, staring dully up at the copper haired woman who smirked at him like a shark

"Little Sakura-chan has been having strange dreams about a boy having sex with her"

Gaara felt like he just walked into a lions den with nothing to protect himself

"I told her that she showed all the signs of being plucked," the woman's grin didn't falter, "You're a very lucky boy that you used a perception genjutsu on her, otherwise I would be forced to kick your ass to the next world." Gaara stared dully at her, not showing any sign that he understood what she was saying "Sakura-chan" the woman called, rolling her teal eyes in boredom, "Describe your first dream."

"Hai," Sakura gave the woman a sleepy smile, "I was in our shared room looking out at the village, he snuck up on me from behind and wrapped his arms around me. He whispered in my ear and I opened my legs so his hand could slip in—" Gaara's hand slapped over Sakura's mouth; the warmth he was feeling on his face was do to the sun not because he was blushing at the memory, he couldn't blush anyways so it had to be the sun.

"Oh, was there something you didn't want me to hear?" the woman asked with a predatory look in her teal eyes, Gaara didn't look at her, choosing instead to glare at his feet. "It doesn't matter, she already told me," the woman chuckled, "you didn't technically take her virginity so you only owe the girl your servitude, not your life."

"My what?" Gaara repeated dumbly

"You will be her slave, get it boy?" the woman asked with a role of her eyes, "You raped one of my lovely little children; you didn't think I wouldn't punish you for that did you?" Gaara blinked at her then glanced down at Sakura, well it's not like she'd be a horrible mistress but he didn't see how he could possibly serve her from Suna.

"I live in Suna," Gaara said, as if to remind the woman of the little fact, "Do you expect me to drop everything and move here for her? My village won't hear of it, I'm the Ichibi host. They'll sooner kill me then give me up to another hidden village." The woman blinked at him, processing his words before sighing, her cup lowering from her mouth

"I suppose that could pose as a problem," the woman agreed, "I suppose your punishment will be left up to Sakura-chan then."

"Huh?" Sakura turned sleepy eyes towards the woman, a sleepy smile on her face

"How do you want to punish him?" the woman asked, pointing to Gaara, "he must pay for rapping you."

"But he didn't," Sakura frowned at her, "I asked him to have sex with me."

The cup slipped from the woman's fingers and crashed against the table top

…

* * *

…

"How's Sakura?" Ino asked as she adjusted her hold on the child in her arms

"She's... a little tired," Kakashi confessed, "her Aunt is taking care of her at the moment..."

"Please tell me you aren't talking about Aunt Nana," Ino said looking a little pale

"Why?" Kakashi asked a little hesitantly

"Because that woman is _nuts_," Ino answered with a shiver, "The first time I met her, she threatened to skin both of us alive if we came home with another scratch."

_Sounds like Nana_, Kakashi chuckled nervously, _Now that I think about it, I should go check on Sakura..._

_Poof_

"...She's with Aunt Nana isn't she?" Ino asked turning to look up at her own sensei

"I think so," Asuma chuckled

…

* * *

…

"How's Sakura?" Kakashi asked as he stepped into the Haruno estate, looking at first to the familiar face of the blonde standing guard, "Is she feeling better?"

"She'll live," Nana answered with a sad smile, "her mentality took a heavy hit, she's a little sensitive to people suddenly dyeing on her."

"Every genin is," Kakashi sighed, "I just came to tell her that the sound boy she beat the crap out of is doing better." _If he lives, he'll be out for the next few months..._ No one was really holding their breath for him to live

"Ah, so that means she hasn't had her first kill yet," the man beside Nana said as if he just had a novel experience, "That might explain why Chicho-sama has yet to evolve."

"Harasa-kun, shut up," Nana ordered with a sigh, "you are so insensitive."

_And you're what exactly?_ Kakashi thought staring dully at Nana, remembering how she first met him in front of the memorial stone and had immanently taunted him about being unable to move on from his past.

"Can I see her?" Kakashi asked instead, immediately Harasa glared at him, teal eyes cold like ice

"_No_/Of course!" Harasa and Nana answered at the same time, Harasa spoke as if Kakashi had just asked something insulting and Nana as if Kakashi was a cute child she couldn't resist

"There's no need to denai Sakura-chan her sensei's attention!" Nana giggled spinning on her heal and marching away from the Haruno estate gates, "It's hard enough for her to get noticed!"

Kakashi ignored the jab and followed the blonde into the untouched compound carved into the mountainside, noting how they had their large gardens as their first tier, what everyone sees when they first enter the compound. It was like walking into the world's biggest green house, every plant Kakashi saw was sprouting neon bright multi colored flowers, some almost appeared to be glowing in the high afternoon sunlight.

The next tier held larger, possibly more important, buildings; a dojo or maybe a small school, a library, a few training grounds, a large pool fed by a stream from the mountain, an open hot spring fed by the same river as the pool. Nana explained to Kakashi that he was the first Outsider, other then the Shodaime and Niidaime Hokage's who were the only ones who bothered to visit, to come so far into their compound. Their hot spring was open because everyone there was related, so no one really gave a damn what anyone else saw, just so long as they didn't go parading around in their birthday suit no one really gave a damn. The kids would eventually grow up and figure it out themselves anyways, so why prevent it from happening?

The third tier he climbed onto made Kakashi do a double take. The entire landscape looked as if man had never even stepped foot on it, looking closely he could see that there were a few round houses here and there, hiding amongst the forest as if they were apart of the trees themselves. Kakashi wasn't sure, but it looked as if there was a house for every tree in the large grounds, which meant that the Haruno clan was a whole lot bigger then he thought. Like the other two tiers he didn't get to walk through all of it, the stairs were all set close together, but he knew the tiers were _massive_ because he honestly couldn't see where each one ended. The final tier held only a large four-leveled house that was defiantly the biggest house in the entire compound, like buildings in the first and second piers it appeared to have been built by the Shodaime Hokage, with his signature twirling leaves dancing around the edges of the buildings like hidden reminders of the clan's loyalties.

_And now their crest makes sense_, Kakashi thought turning at the top of the stairs to look back at the large compound below him; he found it hard to focus on the compound when the sight of the entire village was painted so beautifully before him.

…

* * *

…

Ino laughed as she ran into her father's arms, smiling as he lifted her up and spun her in place. It wasn't long before Shikamaru was beside her, Asuma and Chōji standing nearby and watching with fond smiles. They walked to the hospital, because her father refused to belief that she was perfectly healthy and wanted a second opinion, they came across team eight and their parents. Of course all the adults had to take a trip down memory lane, enlightening their children all about their own bouts of stupefy when they first started out.

"...and I swear to you!" Inoichi laughed to Ino, a blinding smile in place, "I've never seen the girls' hair sticking up like that! I don't know how Kizashi pulled it off but that was hilarious!"

"Yeah hilarious," Tsume agreed with a pout, remembering the instant she and the other girls her age had went through with Kizashi's experiment, "Everyone always remembers that stunt but never the seal explosion situation."

"That wasn't nearly as funny," Shikaku smirked at her, "there weren't any smoldering Kunochi's out for blood."

"Ch," Tsume's cheeks colored and she turned away from the grinning males, all bright smiles and laughter, "It's not like you didn't have your own issues with his seals."

"True," Inoichi smirked back at Shikaku; earning a groan from his scarred friend in the process, "You did activate that storage seal and ended up beheading what's-his-name in the processes."

"I'm so glade he was an enemy," Shikaku sighed, "that wasn't funny, Kizashi didn't say anything about there being weapons in that damn thing."

"Well, now I know where Sakura's love of explosions came from," Ino smirked at Shikamaru, earning rolled eyes from the pineapple head and a chuckle from Chōji.

"Yeah but where did her chakra control come from?" Shikamaru asked

"Oh no dose Sakura-chan have her mother's chakra control?" Shikaku asked, his shoulders falling slightly, "That can't bold well for anyone."

"At least no one on her bad side," Chōji snickered softly, earning a giggle from Ino and a chuckle from Shikamaru

…

* * *

…

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to review!**

**Page 14**


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